Was DeVos Really the ‘Worst Secretary of Education Ever’?

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos resigned last night, citing Wednesday’s putsch at the Capitol, Trump’s incitement of violence, and her concern that “impressionable children are watching…

Without Data, We Can’t Fight for Our Students’ Futures

Sometimes, data can seem pesky. Just ask the folks who continue to suggest that coronavirus spikes are merely the result of increased testing. “You know…

Civil Rights Groups Insist on Testing: ‘You Cannot Improve What You Do Not Measure.’

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. In this case, the clock is soon-to-be-Ex-Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who has told states that…

An Election Alone Fixes Nothing. So, What’s Next?

The people of the United States have voted to replace Donald Trump with Joe Biden. It is the first step in repairing the massive rifts…

If You’re Serious About Equity, Prove It by Including Leaders of Color at Your School

When I graduated from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education with a master’s degree in school leadership, I was confident I would quickly be hired as…

70 Years of Promises in Education. What Will It Take for Us to Keep Them?

The promise of public education is that it prepares young people for life—and the commitments we have made to meet this aspiration have dramatically increased…

When It Comes to Education, Democrats Need to Think Bigger

I’m a Sam Seaborn Democrat. As the idealistic West Wing character once said:  Education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don’t need little…

You Can Call It a ‘Lost Decade,’ But I See a Lot of Good Things Happening

WHAT WE GOT RIGHT: The spin never stops when it comes to education and it goes into overdrive with the close of a decade. Amidst all the hype of a lost decade and the need for humility from education reformers, I see a glass way more than half full.…

There Is Nothing We Can’t Fix If We Play to Win on Behalf of Children

WHAT WE GOT WRONG: When I returned to Education Post in May, my charge was to help us clarify our vision and set us in a new direction. I thought a lot about what would be the cardinal question to help us stay focused on what matters most…

How English Learners Got Left Behind in the Drive Towards Equity

WHAT WE GOT WRONG: Many years ago, back in 2014, when the world was young and American politics had not yet gone wholly off the rails, I launched a policy research team to focus on young English learners (ELs). …