The Covid-19 pandemic has shown people some real flaws in our public education systems. If Joe Biden is elected, will he fix them? Many school districts had trouble adapting to the sudden closure and were never able to deliver effective distance learning. Many parents were surprised how low schools’ expectations were and disappointed by the quality of education their children…
Op-eds and Articles
A slice of bread is good, but a whole loaf is better. In the spring, Senator Mike Braun of Indiana introduced the Helping Gig Economy Workers Act to shield digital companies from lawsuits on worker classification when providing protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic. This legal “safe harbor” for such digital companies could find its…
Bridgeport Public School students were in trouble before the pandemic shuttered schools in March. Each year, BPS students take the “Smarter Balance” state tests. On the 2019 test, not a single BPS school recorded 50 percent of its students meeting or exceeding expectations for their grade level in reading, with the exception of two select…
PPI in the News
"Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair sat down for a discussion at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, with the president and founder of the Progressive Policy Institute, Will Marshall. They discussed several topics, including the rise of populism in the U.K. and the U.S., Brexit, the impact of the coronavirus, the future of…
While Super Tuesday’s dramatic results have boosted former Vice President Joe Biden more than anyone predicted, it’s still not enough, not yet. Nothing less than Biden going into the convention in Milwaukee with a sizable majority will convince most supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to rally around “Uncle Joe” as the nominee. Fortunately, Biden’s current 70-delegate lead is…
The Education Department’s fiscal 2021 budget request highlighted a dramatic new program: a block grant that would allow states to determine how they spend a major chunk of their federal education dollars. But some advocates for charter schools worry it could hurt them, an irony given Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ support for the tuition-free, privately…
Press Releases
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Looking ahead to the general election campaign this fall, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) today rolled out a bold plan for making America’s health care system, economy and social safety net more resilient against future pandemics and national emergencies. “During the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve learned the hard way that our country needs…
Independent workers face a dilemma where they cannot currently receive benefit payments from companies without risking their independent status. WASHINGTON, D.C. - A new report from the Progressive Policy Institute examines the possibility of creating a way to regulate platforms that would preserve the flexible nature of independent workers and the benefits to our economy…
As someone who grew up in the Jim Crow South, I know that progress toward racial justice and concord is possible in America. I’ve seen it happen. I also know that social progress is neither linear nor inevitable. Progress stalls, people backslide, old prejudices find new ways to express themselves. Even well-intentioned Americans lose focus,…
