Black and Brown Students Can Learn, But You Have to Want to Teach Them

We complain about what’s wrong with the public education system all the time. Admittedly, I’m probably on the long list of tough critics.  Some of…

Here’s How a Once-Bullied Kid Became a Fierce Advocate for Students and Education Freedom

As a kid, I was surrounded by people who were making awful choices—choices that led to many of my friends and family members being in…

It’s OK, You Can Teach For America

In 2013, Sandra Korn, then a senior at Harvard and a contributor to the student newspaper The Crimson, wrote an article telling her peers “Don’t…

We’ve Never Seen a Public School System Work for All Kids, But We Have to Believe We Can Build One

The other day I watched the documentary True Justice: Bryan Stevenson’s Fight for Equality.  Now if you don’t know who Bryan Stevenson is, you should…

Newark Students Deserve Education Champions Who Keep Their Promises

It’s no secret that education in the city of Newark has had a tumultuous history. It’s a history with a complex narrative—going from a distinguished…

I’m Not Willing to Trade Fixing Income Inequality for Better Schools. We Need to Do Both.

I don’t know about y’all but I get tired of seeing annual reports basically saying the same thing: Black people in America are suffering. Like…

Better Schools Have a Place in Creating a More Equitable America

As someone who spent the first portion of his career deep in the “education reform” movement, I wasn’t surprised when Nick Hanauer’s Atlantic article, “Better…

Episode 28: Once a Parent Activist, Always a Parent Activist (feat. Chris Stewart)

In this episode, we speak with Chris Stewart, CEO of Education Post, about education reform. We discuss why education reform has become a bad word…

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…

Arne Duncan’s New Book Made Me Feel Awful But You Should Totally Read It

I just finished hate-reading Arne Duncan’s book, “How Schools Work.” I didn’t hate the book, but for so many reasons, I really hated reading it.…