College of Education

The Forum on the Future of Public Education

People Direct Admission Volatility in State Funding External Social Benefits of Higher Education Blog (Archive) News Events

The Forum on the Future of Public Education

The Forum on the Future of Public Education strives to bring the best empirical evidence to policymakers and the public.

The Forum draws on a network of premier scholars to create, interpret, and disseminate credible information on key questions facing P-20 education. The Forum pursues original research and facilitates collaboration between researchers and policymakers to examine the pressing issues shaping the future of public education. Key constituencies of the Forum include scholars who influence research, policy and practice; policy makers and policy making bodies at all levels; members of the media who influence public opinion; foundations, organizations, business groups and others who support, criticize and advocate for reform; and citizens who make choices about education for themselves and their children.

America is witnessing a drastic redefinition of the policies and practices associated with “public education.” Too often, discussions around the future of public education are strong on passion but short on actual evidence. The Forum for the Future of Public Education is filing that gap by building a resource of objective, research-based insights on key educational issues. We are establishing an open venue- a true public forum to debate controversial and consequential policy issues that will shape American’s future.

Progressive Education in Nepal: Creating an Education System

Apr 26, 2017, 10:30 by Chip Bruce (ketchum@illinois.edu)
The College of Education at Illinois will host a May 16, 2017, talk about the education system in Nepal.

Time: Tuesday, May 16, 10:00 am-noon

Place: Room 22, College of Education

Description: We think of progressive education as an early 20th century movement in U.S. schools, or perhaps as what occurs in modern, “progressive” schools, often small, private schools serving more privileged students. But the progressive impulse has been an important factor in many places and many eras. In Nepal today, there is a strong progressive education movement, one that I worked with during Fall 2016. That movement is especially noteworthy given the country’s extremely low resources (it’s a UN Least Developed Country). But many Nepalis see progressive education as aligned with their national education plan, whose goals include education for all, ages 4-12, community learning centers to deliver literacy and lifelong learning, and fully inclusive and equitable access.

Questions: How can Nepal essentially create an education system? How can knowledge, people, tools, and other resources from the West help? What can be learned from the Nepali experience, even though the Nepal situation is quite different from that in the U.S.?