[“The Cost of Cutting Online Learning” by Diana Moore was originally published on GettingSmart.com.] State budgets have been hurting in a bad way. Across the country, legislatures continue to struggle to close deficits while still providing essential services. While cuts have been necessary, the wrong cuts can be devastating and ironically, very costly. On the chopping block time and again

This week the Innosight Institute released a groundbreaking report titled “Classifying K-12 Blended Learning.” While intended to clarify definitions and provide a common language for the education community, the report does much more. It illustrates the growth and prominence of blended learning (more than 80 programs were consulted in drafting this report). And it provides a crystal clear map of

The Colorado Legacy Foundation produced a great short film that hits the nail on the head when it comes to what’s missing in public education, the possibilities for turning it around, and the mindset necessary to get us there. Using pithy, common sense questions, the film explores the faulty assumptions that drive public education and lead to the fact that,

Survey of Top Execs Reveals Democratic States Not Perceived as Business Friendly, While Republican States Receive Good Marks According to an annual survey of 650 business leaders conducted by Chief Executive—a magazine for CEOs of U.S. companies—Washington State ranks 37th out of U.S. states as a place to do business, a ranking that saw the Evergreen State drop three places

With the May 1 resurgence of Occupy demonstrations (well, maybe riots is more accurate) come renewed calls for corporations and “the rich” to pay more taxes, to pay their “fair share.” News stories report that some corporations such as Apple, and locally Microsoft, Amazon and Boeing are actively working to reduce the amount of taxes they pay. Personally, I am

As though Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen’s remarks about Ann Romney—wife of Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney—were not enough to damage Democratic hopes of securing the women’s vote this fall, the president of the National Organization for Women jumped in last night to give new life to the idea that stay at home moms should not have a voice in politics.

SEATTLE — The independent Washington News Council delivered a harsh referendum to Seattle National Public Radio affiliate KUOW-FM after a formal hearing held Saturday on the main campus of the University of Washington, a proceeding designed to put to rest a yearlong complaint procedure initiated by The Vitae Foundation after the airing of a news piece last April. The majority

The Washington News Council Board of Directors will hold a hearing Saturday morning on the Seattle campus of the University of Washington on an ethics complaint made against National Public Radio affiliate KUOW-FM Seattle, the proceedings to be presided over by former Washington State Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerry Alexander. With tomorrow’s hearing, the WNC seeks to offer closure—though its

Support for increased involvement by the federal government in the business of providing security for our nation’s transportation gateways peaked in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, a justifiable response that led to the creation of the Transportation Safety Administration. The core mission of the TSA is simple, as stated concisely on the agency’s website: “The Transportation Security Administration

It’s official. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is the winner of Washington State’s Republican presidential straw poll, a 13-point victory that does not award any of the Evergreen State’s 43 delegates, but that could send a strong psychological message to Super Tuesday’s voters. Despite making two campaign swings through Washington, Santorum’s third-place finish behind Paul represents a major backslide from

A new set of numbers was released at WSRP headquarters and a larger lead for Mitt Romney in Washington State’s presidential straw poll. With 28 counties fully reported and partial counts beginning to trickle in from King and Pierce Counties, Romney’s total has jumped to 37.21%, and Paul and Santorum are jockeying in a very tight race for second 13

Former Massachusetts governor and Republican candidate for president Mitt Romney has scheduled a free public appearance in Bellevue, Wash. this Friday morning, one day before Washington Republicans will hold caucuses statewide. Romney will meet with the public at 8:00 a.m. in the Highland Community Center (14424 Bel-Red Road, Bellevue, WA), a visit that comes days after Romney achieved critical victories

Speculation earlier this month that Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R, WA-5) could be on the short list of possible Republican vice presidential candidates seems more prescient, following a Sunday mention on Fox News and a high position in revised VP rankings posted Saturday on a popular election blog McMorris Rodgers—the highest ranking Republican woman in Congress—turned up at #6 in

With jobs and the economy topping the concerns of Washington state residents, Congressman Jay Inslee recently unveiled his proposal to create “a new economy for Washington” which he hopes will put the state “at the forefront of a clean energy revolution in job creation.” His proposals echo much of what he wrote in his co-authored book Apollo’s Fire. Outlining his

The FY2013 budget proposed by Pres. Barack Obama will increase the average U.S. household share of the federal debt to almost $200,000 by the year 2022, an amount likely to surpass the average household’s net worth over time, according to economic survey data and new projections released today by Senate Budget Committee Republicans. Based on the numbers in Obama’s new

This morning, Pres. Barack Obama dropped off his budget request for the coming fiscal year, a plan that the administration claims will spend $3.8 trillion in 2013 and increase the federal debt by $1 trillion in the next decade. On a mid-day conference call with reporters, the two leading congressional Republicans on budget matters—House Budget Committee Chair Rep. Paul Ryan

On Monday, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum will make a day trip to Washington State, according to numerous sources, riding on a three-state sweep of the this Tuesday’s Republican primary and caucuses in Minnesota, Michigan and Colorado. The presidential dark horse will hold his campaign event at the Washington Historical Museum (map it) between 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. in

As former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney continues to push forward toward a possible win of the Republican presidential nomination – riding on concurrent double-digit victories in this week’s Florida primary and Nevada caucuses—all politicians not named Romney are preparing for “the question.” The query from the political beat reporters has many variations, but goes something like this: “If asked, would