The Biggest Threat to Public Education Is Still Its Insidious ‘Belief Gap’

For a long time school reform seemed to be winning the public argument about the failure of schools to prepare students academically. During that run,…

How This Music Program Is Helping Incarcerated Youth Tell Their Stories

More than 60,000 young people are incarcerated in secure facilities, residences and group homes, learning in alternative education settings designed to keep them in school…

If the College Board Is Going to Withhold Student SAT Scores, They Need to Hand Over Some Receipts

The College Board recently announced it will launch a new tool, an “adversity index,” which will help college admissions officers evaluate an applicant’s SAT score…

To Defeat Implicit Bias, Try Project-Based Learning

Project-based learning is a very powerful practice for accelerating important learning for Black, Brown, and low-income kids. It provides “voice and choice” for the students…

Dear White People: When it Comes to Educational Equity, You’ll Have to Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable

Is the public school system rooted in White supremacy culture? Damn right it is. And This brings me to question why teachers in New York…

The Discomfort of White Adults Should Never Take Priority Over the Success of Our Black and Brown Students

“I didn’t come here to teach those kinds of kids.” It’s alarming to think that adults charged with helping students of color succeed in school…

When I Walk Into a School I See Kids Who Remind Me of Myself, Waiting for an Opportunity

Recently I have been thinking about what it means to be in the “education reform” space and reflecting on how I got here. Many of…

We Won’t Be Bullied by Unions or Any Other Anti-Choice Critics

You know, I find it real interesting that teachers are supposed to promote anti-bullying in schools but their unions constantly use bullying tactics to intimidate…

Stop Trying to ‘All Lives Matter’ the Black Struggle for Educational Justice

Outrage: White People Won’t Be Satisfied Until We Make Our Struggle About Them I get tired of people trying to “All Lives Matter” my advocacy—especially White…

My Science Teacher Told Me I Wasn’t Going to College. Good Thing I Didn’t Believe Him.

I grew up in East San Jose, where I attended our local traditional public schools. In elementary school, I received many awards for my academic…