Los Angeles Times
Here’s Why L.A.’s New Changes to Teacher Evaluation Are Bad for Students and Teachers
The nation’s teacher unions used their lobbying muscle to make sure the new Every Student Succeeds Act ended the Obama administration’s pressure on states and…
Our Schools Need Edu-Philanthropy’s Dollars and Its Policy Priorities
Is there a meaningful role for philanthropy in our push to improve our public schools? While we may think the answer is a simple one,…
Failure Is a Part of Success: The Gates Foundation Should Be Praised for Owning Up
A recent Los Angeles Times editorial suggested that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been characterized by hubris. It has hedged big bets, hoping…
Was There Too Much Coverage of Friedrichs? @SchoolLawBlog Says No
Mark Walsh is the only journalist that I know of who focuses on education-related Supreme Court cases, though his writing at EdWeek (@SchoolLawBlog) and on SCOTUSblog. So it was great to get Walsh’s take on last week’s big Supreme Court case and on media coverage of school law cases in general. https://twitter.com/SchoolLawBlog/status/686635083059429376 (See my previous post on this: How to Be Smart Supreme Court Coverage…
The LA Times Makes a Common (Core) Error
Even though Common Core State Standards have been around for years, it still seems as though folks are having trouble really understanding what they are—despite the fact that it’s built right into the name. To put it plainly, the Common Core State Standards are a set of standards. State. Standards. Despite that crystal-clear title, the Los Angeles Times editorial board couldn't be bothered with getting it right—and not just when it…
Can’t We Just Agree That Great Schools Are Great for Students?
A few weeks ago, a story broke in the Los Angeles Times about a plan to expand access to public charter schools throughout the city.…
The Tests Are New, But the Story’s the Same: What Will It Take to Close the Opportunity Gap?
Last week, California released the first set of results from the new standardized tests that are linked to the Common Core State Standards. The new…
Learning What Parents Really Want in a New L.A. Schools Superintendent
For the last six years my job at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has allowed me to serve as a liaison for our…
