Over the past two weeks, we received fourteen responses to Fordham’s second annual Wonkathon prompt:
As Nevada implements its groundbreaking education savings account program, what must it get right in order to provide positive outcomes for kids and taxpayers? Should state authorities stay out of the way? Or are there certain areas that demand oversight and regulation?
This year’s posts offered a wide-range of oversight models from some of the wonkiest wonks in education reform. But there can only be one Wisest Wonk.
Without further ado, the winner of Fordham’s 2015 Wonkathon is Seth Rau, whose “Nevada should regulate ESAs like brothels” came in with 39 percent of the vote.
Tracey Weinstein’s “Does Nevada’s new ESA law hold promise for kids?” came in second with 17 percent.
And Rabbi A.D. Motzen’s “Why almost universal is not good enough” came in third with 15 percent.
Thanks to all the participants for another great Wonkathon, and congratulations to this year’s Wisest Wonk, Seth Rau! You can re-read the individual responses below or get the short and sweet version from Jason Bedrick’s recap.
“Nevada needs Neerav” by Michael Goldstein
“Nevada should regulate ESAs like brothels” by Seth Rau
“New tools for new challenges: Updating accountability for ESAs” by Matthew Ladner
“Take a lesson from the cane toads” by Jonathan Butcher
“Does Nevada's new ESA law hold promise for kids?” By Tracey Weinstein, Ph.D.
“Private choice and the public interest” by Andy Smarick
“The price is not right (yet)” by Neerav Kingsland
“Overregulation in the name of accountability serves no one well” by Lindsey M. Burke
“Let the market work” by Jason Bedrick
“A new approach for a new era of education” by Adam Peshek
“Wanted: A new breed of bureaucrat in Nevada” by Robin J. Lake
“ESAs let parents drive the quality discussion” by Travis Pillow
“State agencies can’t do it alone” by Robert Tagorda
“Why almost universal is not good enough” by Rabbi A.D. Motzen
