Charter Schools
What’s the best school for my child?
A great education is every child’s key to a great future. And every child deserves access to a high-quality public school — one that meets the child’s learning needs and unlocks the door to that great future.
Public-school choice is an essential part of unlocking that door.
Education is not one size fits all; children have different learning styles, and we need to provide all of our families with a range of high-quality public schools and empower them to find the right fit for their child.
What about Charter Schools?
High-quality charter schools help empower families.
Across the country, there are thousands of charter schools that are changing the lives of children, particularly in communities that have for decades suffered from a lack of high-quality educational opportunities.
Many high-quality charter schools are fostering innovation, offering specialized learning programs, and giving families choices.
Accountability is also an essential part of maximizing the power of choice.
Public charter schools — like traditional public schools — should be open to all kids, support and develop excellence in teaching, and show strong results in the classroom.
We need to give all families the power to choose the best public school for their child.
Three Things You Should Think About When Choosing a School for Your Kid
I am a first-generation college graduate who wants my daughter to be successful. Growing up in the Englewood community in Chicago, I was exposed to…
Chicago’s Schools Are ‘Pretty Good,’ But That’s Not Good Enough
I have spent the last 15 years of my life committed to serving students across Chicago as a teacher and a leader. But today, I…
Don’t Get Angry, Get Eva
Somehow, while managing a sprawling network of public charter schools serving 15,000 children, engaging in the day-to-day political combat of New York, and raising three…
Just Because Trump and DeVos Like Charter Schools Doesn’t Mean You Can’t, Too
A while ago school choice policies were gaining steam across the country. Charter schools and vouchers were still somewhat controversial, but more and more people…
Education, Politics, Media and Chicago
Paraphrasing Yogi Berra, education in Chicago is 50 percent teaching and learning and 90 percent money and politics. No matter how much we emphasize the…
It Doesn’t Take Millions to Support Students’ Mental Health
Brand-new charter school Washington Leadership Academy (WLA) has already drawn national attention for its commitment to incorporating the latest in tech, including virtual reality, into…
Everyone Is Entitled to an Opinion on Charter Schools But Parents Deserve the Final Say
Over the last year we’ve seen the NAACP come out forcefully against charter schools. We’ve seen the Trump administration support choice in ways that have…
One Progressive Education Reformer’s Manifesto in the Age of Trump
Chalkbeat recently reported about a March meeting of progressive education reformers where former Education Secretary Arne Duncan encouraged charter leaders to resist the Trump administration’s…
Support for Charter Schools Is Down and Charter Operators Need to Take a Look in the Mirror
Today, a new poll released by Education Next shows that support for charter schools has fallen, both overall and among communities of color. You know…
10 Ways Teachers Can Be ‘All In’ Like Jon Snow This School Year
(Warning: Game of Thrones spoilers ahead. But like from Season 6, so no excuses; play like a champion.) There is this shot in the penultimate episode of…
