Higher Standards

When I Switched School Districts I Saw What It Really Means to Believe in Kids
As soon as I graduated from college, I moved back home to Philadelphia and fumbled through a few jobs before finding a career path in…

Colorado’s ESSA Plan Doesn’t Quite Get All Kids Across the Goal Line
As Colorado updates its accountability system to comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), we have the opportunity to rethink how it provides both…

Gov. Edwards Loses, Louisiana Will Soon Have to Tell the Truth About School Grades
Knowing how well a school is doing is some of the most important information we as parents can have. It offers a starting point for…

If the Louisiana Governor Has His Way, High School Graduates Will Continue to Stay Stuck in Remedial College Courses
If Governor John Bel Edwards has his way today, setting higher goals for Louisiana students could be delayed by a year or two and possibly…

It Can Be Hard to Talk to Your Child’s School. Here Are 5 Tips From a Teacher.
Over the course of my years in the classroom I have come across many parents who are eager to support their child’s learning experience but…

The College Debt Crisis Is Real, But Let’s First Talk About Getting Our Kids to College and Graduating
This election season, discussions on education policy have been scarce, with issues in k-12 education almost non-existent. Republican candidates have focused their education talking points…

The Work Ahead for Our New Education Secretary John King
With Senate confirmation of John King as U.S. education secretary, the Obama team has just 10 more months to advance its history-making education reform agenda…

How Maria Montessori Can Help Us Get Past the False Debate Between Work and Play
A false debate rages among parents and even educators these days: play versus academic content. While there’s no question academic expectations for our youngest learners…

Why Repealing Common Core Would Be a Terrible Move for Massachusetts Students and Teachers
Right now, in English classrooms at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School our students are doing amazing work. They are lawyers putting Lady Macbeth on trial,…

If You Think How We’re Educating Black Kids Has Nothing to Do With Gentrification, You’re Wrong
Let’s take a look at how we are educating black kids. This is a national issue, but I’ll focus on the place I live, Oakland.…