A reader looked at this year’s syllabus for the course that I wrote about in A Tale Out of School. The reader commented that there was nothing wrong with what this year’s syllabus covers. Let’s look deeper and ask what covers means. For those who have read A Tale Out of School, you may have […]
A Quote to Keep in Mind
May 2, 2016 by
“…Franklin Roosevelt did not suddenly decide on his own to enact Social Security or grant union rights. Those ideas came up from below, through decades of frustration and struggle and conflict. If Americans want something different from their politicians, there is no alternative to this kind of exhausting and uncertain hard work…” (Italics are mine […]
Let’s Stop Worrying About the Wrong Problem (Dropping Out) and Address the Real Problem (Not Getting An Education Even IF They Stay In)
May 1, 2016 by
Simple steps raise the graduation rate, especially among minority students. Source: What Can Stop Kids From Dropping Out – The New York Times#commentsContainer I wrote: Let’s stop worrying about them dropping out and start worrying about them actually getting an education. With a couple of years of REAL education they can drop out and get […]
Why Is Productivity So Weak? Three Theories That Miss The Mark. My Advice? Read Piketty.
April 29, 2016 by
The rate of economic output is not increasing much. Or is there work below the surface that will pay big dividends in the future? Source: Why Is Productivity So Weak? Three Theories – The New York Times The answer if obvious. Here is how to see it. First, do a search for “diffusion of knowledge” […]
Beware Quick Growth
April 25, 2016 by
I just read something in today’s Financial Times that made me think about the quick growth in higher education that we undertook in the 60’s. “…Economists say it is difficult for any economy to deploy productively such a large amount of capital within a short period, given the limited number of profitable projects available at any […]
The College Cares About Truth in Advertising? Oh?
April 20, 2016 by
Several companies are using high-pressure tactics, critics say, to persuade international students to enroll in U.S. colleges. Many will need remedial help to succeed. Source: Recruiting Students Overseas to Fill Seats, Not to Meet Standards I wrote, According to a Brookings study, Western Kentucky’s graduates have a median mid-career salary less than similar graduates attending […]
Demand for H1-B Skilled-Worker Visas Forces Agency Into Lottery – WSJ
April 8, 2016 by
U.S. demand for foreign skilled-worker visas surpassed the entire year’s mandated supply within five days, prompting the government to say it will award them through a lottery. Source: Demand for H1-B Skilled-Worker Visas Forces Agency Into Lottery – WSJ I wrote… To paraphrase, “It’s the flood of certification, and paucity of education, stupid.” In other […]
More Than 40% of Student Borrowers Aren’t Making Payments – WSJ
April 7, 2016 by
More than 40% of Americans who borrowed from the government’s main student-loan program aren’t making payments or are behind on more than $200 billion owed, raising worries that millions of them may never repay. Source: More Than 40% of Student Borrowers Aren’t Making Payments – WSJ I wrote… The $200 billion is a pittance compared […]
Education and Productivity Go Hand in Hand
Once the acute phases of the financial and euro crises were over, it was clear that it would take time for advanced economies to recover. The history of past financial crises gave a clear warning that recovery would typically be long and painful. Source: Slow growth is a fact of life in the post-crisis world […]