Given the Conflict of Visions in Education, Who Can We Trust?

In his book, “A Conflict of Visions,” Thomas Sowell describes the common disagreements we see in politics today as being rooted in the “different visions…

Whether It’s Science Olympiad or Dungeons & Dragons, Lindsey Gwilt’s Taking Charge

Lindsey Gwilt is a young woman who is going places. Born in Albany and raised in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, she has been a student at BART…

3 Lessons From the Los Angeles School Board Race for Pro-Equity Advocates

When the ballots were finally tallied in the early morning hours on Wednesday, those of us who work for educational equity in California’s public schools…

Kristen Forbriger recently wrote a piece at Philly Mag on the very same magazine's recent cover on school choice, which highlights the very real problem that being able to choose your school often means being white and wealthy. As the articles show, the school choice process in Philadelphia is really complicated, even for those with the resources to navigate it. There’s a myth that increased options are THE problem; the variety of schools of…

How I Became a Warrior for Education Reform

Twelve years ago, I joined the education reform battle in California because too many of our kids were failed by traditional public schools in our…

Listening to Parents on Charter Schools

This week we’re celebrating Charter Schools Week, a week that highlights the important educational options that charter schools bring to students and families. And what…

I Am Your Black Friend Who Grew Up in Sandtown-Winchester

Fire is a gift from the gods, but it’s still hard to watch your neighborhood burn. There was no CVS on the corner of Pennsylvania…

Ohio Charter Schools Not Living Up to Promise

Public charter schools across the country were started with the promise of being alternative, quality options for parents to choose for their children. Unfortunately, public…

Learning from Schools That Work, Charter or Not

Are charter schools any better than traditional public schools? Debates in education get lost in that question, but if you ask Joe Nathan and Bill…

We Can’t Leave Charter Quality Up to Chance in Rhode Island

We in Rhode Island have been very lucky to have since 2009 a courageous and results-oriented Commissioner of Education, Deborah Gist. I am very grateful…