Kids Need to Write More. A Lot More.

Growing up with teachers for parents, my siblings and I were taught that writing is an indispensable skill. We attended rigorous schools and enrichment programs…

Dual-Enrollment Helped Me Prepare for My Future

My decision to participate in Minnesota’s Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program has been the most defining aspect of my high school experience. A full-time PSEO…

Dual-Credit Classes Opened Up a Whole New World for Me

As I went through high school, I became increasingly aware that I needed to take advantage of the time, as it was the beginning of…

XQ+RI Schools Rise to the Challenge of Distance Learning and Hope to Inspire a State

Before the COVID-19 pandemic came into full view, the voice of Angélica Infante-Green, the Rhode Island Education Commissioner, bounced off the marble walls of the…

5 Tips for Seniors Trying to Figure Out What’s Next

Put yourself in the shoes of a graduating high school senior. 2020 was supposed to be filled with the best “lasts” and “firsts.” Getting ready…

COVID-19 School Closures Shine a Light on the Disparities That Exist for First-Gen and Low-Income Students

With the imminent threat of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), colleges across the country shut their doors to over 100,000 students. Many students returned home, but many students—mostly…

My Family Didn’t Think We’d Choose a Charter School But It Turned Out to Be an Amazing Experience

I never thought I would attend a charter school until my mother decided to enroll me into YES Prep Public Schools in Houston. At the…

I Will Never Again Teach at a School Without Dedicated Mentoring Time for Students

For many educators, January is a time to return to our jobs revived and renewed after the holiday season. For teachers at Rhodes Junior High…

In a Season of Gratitude, I’m Thankful for Our ‘Village’

It was late August, and suddenly, the moment I’d been anticipating for years had arrived. My husband and I were dropping off our baby, Nyanja,…

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.…