Lowell Milken
Showing 1–4 of 4 transcripts.
- Milken Institute1h 5m
Conversation w/ Betsy DeVos, Secretary, U.S. Dept. of Education / U.S. Education Policy Discussion
Betsy DeVos, Lowell Milken, William Bennett, Steve Bullock, Jeb Bush
During a high-level policy discussion, Secretary Betsy DeVos, former Secretary William Bennett, and Governors Jeb Bush and Steve Bullock debated the role of federal versus state authority in education amidst persistent achievement gaps and insufficient college readiness rates. The panelists advocated for shifting decision-making power to the states through block grants and school choice mechanisms like Education Savings Accounts and dual enrollment programs to foster local innovation and address specific demographic needs. While all participants expressed optimism about state-led reforms, they simultaneously warned that systemic issues such as teacher shortages and social stratification require urgent attention to ensure the education system functions as an effective equalizer.
- Milken Institute1h 5m
Progress Report: Education Leaders Sound Off
Lowell Milken, Michael Crow, Nicholas Dirks, Eva Moskowitz, Kristan Van Hook, Pat Miller-Zahler
This panel examined the stagnation of U.S. educational outcomes despite over $200 billion in federal funding, highlighting critical failures in literacy, numeracy, and college readiness among minority and low-income students. Speakers including Success Academy CEO Eva Moskowitz, ASU President Michael Crow, and UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks detailed institutional innovations such as performance-based teacher hiring, adaptive learning technologies, and a shift from degree-based credentials to content mastery. The discussion concluded with a consensus on the need for policy reforms that prioritize educational equity, teacher effectiveness, and scalable solutions to address the system's impact on national security and economic competitiveness.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
K-12 Education Reform: Forward or Faltering?
Ron Brownstein, Kevin Huffman, Ruslan Ali, Lowell Milken, Patricia Levesque, Bruce Reed, Brooke Allen, Ted Fenton
A diverse panel of education leaders, including Tennessee Commissioner Kevin Huffman and Lowell Milken, analyzes the stagnant progress of U.S. school reform three decades after *A Nation at Risk* despite growing evidence that teacher quality and accountability drive success. While consensus exists on the necessity of performance-based pay and charter expansion, the discussion highlights a critical barrier: a fractured political landscape where opposition from the far left and right threatens to undermine standards, testing, and the constitutional right to an effective education. The experts conclude that closing persistent achievement gaps requires shifting from incremental funding to scalable, outcome-focused policies that empower parents and align incentives for the teachers serving low-income communities.
- Milken Institute1h 5m
The International Quest for Effective Education Reform
Michael Bennet, Eugene Kandel, Anthony Miller, Dilip Thakore, Dinghua Wang, Lowell Milken
A global analysis of education systems reveals that human capital investment is the primary driver of economic growth, with specific policy shifts in China, India, Israel, and the U.S. demonstrating how structural reforms in teacher incentives, accountability, and curriculum can address critical shortages and achievement gaps. While the United States faces a retention crisis and stagnant progress despite billions in spending, emerging models utilizing performance-based funding and rural integration strategies offer scalable blueprints for improving literacy and workforce readiness across diverse demographics. The consensus among experts emphasizes that sustainable national advancement requires decade-long strategic continuity and targeted private-sector innovation rather than frequent administrative overhauls.