Barack Obama
Equity & Diversity
Video
Schools Named After President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama
Schools across the country have honored President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama by “namesaking—“ naming schools in their honor. These schools paint a panorama of a divided nation, one separated by race, class, and place. More than 90 percent of students who attend the namesake schools are black and Latino. Fewer than 4 percent are white. Students at the Obama schools are nearly 60 percent more likely to qualify for free or low-cost meals than their peers nationwide, according to an °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ Research Center analysis of federal data. The schools are scattered throughout 11 states, concentrated on the East and West coasts, and are almost exclusively found in urban and suburban areas.
School & District Management
19 Schools Are Named for the Obamas. Most of Them Are Segregated
More than 90 percent of the students who attend the schools bearing the names of either President Obama or first lady Michelle Obama are black or Hispanic, a stark contrast to the racial breakdown of public schools as a whole.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Opinion
A Dispatch From the Outgoing U.S. Education Secretary
In his final Commentary as education secretary, John B. King Jr. considers the state of American schooling.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Obama's Legacy on K-12 One of Bold Achievements, Fierce Blowback
The president entered office in 2009 with education a top priority, scoring game-changing policy wins in some areas before hitting stiff headwinds in his second term.
Federal
A Review of Obama's Education Legacy on PBS NewsHour
President Barack Obama's handling of teacher evaluations, content standards, and testing were among the topics of discussion on the public television news program.
Federal
The Education of Barron Trump and Other 'First Kids'
The last time a president's child attended public school was in the late 1970s during Jimmy Carter's presidency. The question now is where will President-elect Donald Trump's son go?
Federal
Last Obama Administration i3 Grants Announced
In the last round of federal Investing in Innovation grants under President Obama, the competition intended to find and build up research-based educational interventions has borne its first full fruit.
College & Workforce Readiness
U.S. Graduation Rates Gain for Fourth Straight Year
Even as high school graduation rates inched up to 83.2 percent, experts say it’s difficult to determine that federal education policy is responsible uptick in in the 2014-15 school year.
Federal
Graduation Rate Hits Record High of 83.2 Percent: Should Obama Take Credit?
High school graduation rates inched up for the fourth year in a row, by nearly one percentage point in the 2014-15 school year, the Obama administration announced Monday.
Recruitment & Retention
Opinion
Obama's Legacy for Male Principals of Color
Students of color need more teachers and leaders with whom they share a cultural background, writes Winston C. Cox.
Federal
'Back-to-School' Bus Tour Focuses on Obama Education Legacy
U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr.'s swing through six Southern states included stops highlighting the administration's competitive-grant programs.
School Climate & Safety
Obama Administration to Schools: Clear, Limited Roles for Police
Protecting students’ civil rights and limiting overly harsh discipline are the goals of new guidelines on school policing.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
Signs of Hope in Discouraged Times—a New Citizenship Movement?
In a discouraging time, stirrings of a new movement for citizenship and civic education are signs of hope. The youth civic empowerment and civic education initiative Public Achievement illustrates, as does the new field of Civic Studies, centered on citizens as co-creators, and new congressional legislation.
Law & Courts
Judge Blocks Guidance On Transgender Rights
The national debate over transgender rights took yet another turn after a federal judge in Texas temporarily blocked the Obama administration from enforcing new guidelines meant to expand students' access to restrooms and locker rooms in schools.