Response to Jason These two online field trips are especially important because each is part of the United States Department of Education: the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Transforming Teaching and Learning site. I appreciate the insight into how educators make tremendous personal sacrifices beliving in the value of their work in promoting higher quality of life in the society. For example, the author states, “The thoughts of spending $70,000-$100,000 for an education to receive a job in which you make $40,000 a year seems like a losing proposition for many would be education majors.” In spite of the horrendous statistics related to actual job or career outcomes, the field of education proves tremendously rewarding. For example, the Transforming Teaching and Learning site also includes information linked to leadership development among students. I agree that leadership development is crucial for young educators, but also for students in general.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) supplants No Child Left Behind, by raising overall education standards while also protecting the right of every student to having the best possible education. Information sharing and the optimized use of technology is central to the future of education. However, the future of education also requires the diversion...

Closing the achievement gaps means providing all children with equitable access to preschool, and offering all parents equal access to childcare opportunities that help ultimately reduce educational disparities. By reducing disparities early in a child’s life, we can collectively create a more egalitarian society.
Response to Steven

The United States Department of Education is a natural first stop for an online field trip. The No Child Left Behind Act was imperfect but deserves recognition as an important step towards recognizing the needs of all children in the country. This analysis is good in the sense that it shows a prospective reader of the NCLB website what to expect. The headers are well-organized, including information related to education laws, information related to student loan programs, and other pertinant knowledge for educators, students, and parents. Especially relevant are the pages that are about FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Act), and the Higher Education Act.

In addition to the Department of Education’s No Child Left Behind Act web pages, the NCLBA hearing reports also offers important information. I…