Blog Watch

Frederick M. Hess's Blog

Ben Licciardi

ASCD author Frederick ("Rick") Hess has a long and distinguished résumé that includes time teaching high school social studies; professorial stints at Harvard, Georgetown, Rice, and the University of Virginia; and the publication of many well-respected books and articles. In his new eponymously titled blog, Hess, the director of education policy at the American Enterprise Institute, gives readers an opportunity to follow his evolving thoughts on topics that capture his attention.

No shrinking violet—who some even call a "reflexive contrarian"—Hess is unafraid to confront controversial issues and engage with fellow educators or the current administration. Recent posts include an insightful analysis of Florida's controversial "Senate Bill 6" regarding teacher quality, and a thoughtful back-and-forth with The Quick and the Ed's Kevin Carey on school choice.

A nice complement to his new ASCD book Education Unbound, Hess's blog is definitely worth a visit for policy-minded educators.

Ben Licciardi is a project coordinator in ASCD's Information Resource Center.

ASCD Express, Vol. 5, No. 17. Copyright 2010 by ASCD. All rights reserved. Visit www.ascd.org/ascdexpress.