This New Study Shows That Testing Isn’t Everything, But We Still Need It

Figuring out how students are doing in school is a lot harder than most of us realize. That’s what I’m taking away after digging into…

The Job of a School Principal Has Changed a Lot. Here’s How We Help Them Do It.

At a National Association of Secondary School Principals event, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos told the school leaders gathered in the room that she…

Chicago Isn’t Atlanta—Our Student Learning Gains Are Real and Lead the Nation

About a year ago, Stanford researcher Sean Reardon was digging deep into a 300-million-piece database he created, containing five years’ worth of state test scores…

I Became a Principal to Make School a Place Where Students Wanted to Be

As a youngster, LeViis Haney wasn’t the greatest student. In a recent blog for Education Week, he shares his struggle to stay motivated. But thanks…

It’s a Principal’s Job to Make Equity a Reality

On the first day of school each year, more than 3,300 teenagers fill the campus here at Rancho Cucamonga High School. They’re a diverse group—more…

Illinois Makes Paying For College Harder for Low-Income Students, But We Can Fix That

In 1991, I was admitted to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. My mother worked as a telephone operator and didn’t have the money to pay…

Mia Howard Shows a Good School Needs Both the Soft Stuff and the Hard Data

A school that bakes parent engagement into its strategy for student success is a school after my own heart. Intrepid College Prep Schools, a Tennessee…

CPS Succeeds, CTU Misleads

For the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), a glass that is three quarters full is still half empty. Consider the dueling announcements from the University of…

Teachers, We Are Failing Our LGBT Youth. But There’s Something You Can Do Right Now.

I’m a numbers guy. I love a good debate or emotional plea, but nothing moves me more than good old solid math. If you want…

Before You Panic About Your High School Ranking, Find Out What the Data Really Says.

Oh, the angst that could be prevented by a bit of accurate data. One of my neighbors recently posted to our community Facebook group lamenting…