One of the first steps you can take as a student interested in improving your school is to familiarize yourself with how your school is actually performing, and with how the policies that affect your education are actually set.

To learn more about your school and the quality of education it is providing, we encourage you to use the tools provided by the following sites:

1.) School Matters

2.) Just For the Kids

3.) GreatSchools.net

To learn more about how school policy is set, we encourage you to read the following articles and reports (note that these reports do not represent or reflect any official viewpoints held by Our Education on any particular policies):

1.) Overview of what “policy” is and how it affects your school, from the local, state, and federal levels

 2.) Overview of the No Child Left Behind Act provided by the Education Trust (pdf file).  Note that the Education Trust is a reform-minded national organization that supports the goals of No Child Left Behind. 

3.) Students Speak out on No Child Left Behind (pdf file). A report by the Public Education Network on what a number of students are saying about how No Child Left Behind affects their education.

4.) Overview of how school boards work.  Note that it also describes what to look for in a candidate running for the school board. 

5.) If you're planning on attending a local school board meeting (and we hope you are!), you can learn about the way the board meetings are run at this website.

6.) Log On Let's Talk - brought to you by ETS.  Visit this website to participate in conversations and learn more about standardized testing.


More Links:

Education Week

Sound Out

National Center for Education Statistics

Public Education Network

U.S. Department of Education

Youth Development / Engagement

Critical Exposure - to learn more about their photos and our flash movies, click here!

Youth NOISE

The Student Operated Press

Rock The Vote

Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership

Mobilizing America's Youth

Youth Policy Action Center

Education Blogs

The Education Wonks

Eduwonk

Intercepts

This Week in Education

Think Tanks

Alliance for Excellent Education

American Enterprise Institute

Center on Education Policy

Education Sector

Education Trust

Fordham Foundation

Progressive Policy Institute