Education Needs a Bigger Tent, Not a Bigot Tent

In the past several years, right-leaning education reformers have been contemptuous of—and frustrated by—progressives who brought a justice orientation into the movement.  Back in 2015,…

Civil Rights Groups Insist on Testing: ‘You Cannot Improve What You Do Not Measure.’

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. In this case, the clock is soon-to-be-Ex-Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, who has told states that…

Karega Rausch Says Charter Schools Get Better Outcomes for Kids When They Listen to Communities

With all the ruckus around charter schools, it’s easy to forget they can’t be painted with a broad brush. Each state has its own charter…

I’m Not Going to Tell You Who to Vote For, But I Will Tell You How to Decide

In a time when concerns about public health are stealing precious learning time from America’s children, it’s sad that this week’s presidential debate was another…

Black Lawmakers Must Prioritize Educational Opportunity for Black Families

For millions of K-12 students, the pandemic has led to unprecedented interruptions of critical education and services. Many students will continue to fall behind and…

Education Advocates Need to Look in the Mirror When It Comes to Equity and Racial Justice

As protests give way to policy debates in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, while a true and full reckoning with our country’s original sin…

White Parents Should Be Ready for Anti-Racism to Get Personal

In a moment of global and national crisis, even the most skeptical observers have been moved by the scale, sweep and duration of protests in…

Our Kids Can No Longer Wait for Educational Justice, And They Shouldn’t Have To

I wanna talk about three things: movements, public education and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words foreshadowing what would be an ongoing and urgent fight.…

Real Reformers Keep Pushing for Better Outcomes Even When There Are No Easy Answers

A few nights ago the CEO for Baltimore Public Schools joined my colleagues on the 8 Black Hands podcast to discuss her efforts to improve…

Lakisha Young Talks About How Oakland Is Tackling the Reading Crisis

Lakisha Young is the executive director of The Oakland REACH. Her work began through witnessing the disparities faced by Black and Brown students, including members…