My Science Teacher Told Me I Wasn’t Going to College. Good Thing I Didn’t Believe Him.

I grew up in East San Jose, where I attended our local traditional public schools. In elementary school, I received many awards for my academic…

College Credit in High School Is Great, But Where Are the Classes About My Latina History?

As a first-generation college student, I jumped at the opportunity to take college classes while in high school. As a result, I was able to…

That’s Right, I’m on the Roland Martin Bandwagon

Outrage: Access Still Denied Last week, my mentor and sister in the struggle, Kenya Bradshaw, dropped a gem at the LEAP InnovatEd Summit that really…

Betsy DeVos on the Verge of Removing Civil Rights Protections for Students of Color

Let’s just call her Betsy DeVoid. Our secretary of education earns a name-change because of her predilection for voiding guidance that protects our most disenfranchised…

8 Million Stories Is Here to End the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Our Black boys aren’t served by the education system. Period. So many of them are sent right into the correctional industry. But that could be…

54 Years Since the Civil Rights Act and Schools Still Haven’t Figured Out How to Serve Students of Color

A basic right like education can sometimes feel more like a privilege than a constitutional promise. In the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case,…

I’m Proud to Be First-Gen, But There’s a Lot More to Me Than Just That

I am proud to be the first in my family to have gone to college. However, that is not all I am. I am the…

These Parents Aren’t School Choice Zealots, They Just Want Better Schools for Their Kids

When it comes to the education of low-income children, classroom results often take a back seat to topics like money, jobs or race. And now…

Does Standardized Testing Help Students?

Every state uses standardized tests to find out how students in public schools are doing. Federal law requires it. But why? And how do standardized…

His Hometown in Mexico Had No School. Now He’s Inspiring the Next Generation of Latino Educators.

This profile of teacher Manuel Mendoza was written for Honored by Steve Padilla of the Los Angeles Times. Each month, Honored recognizes a impactful teacher…