When Educators Act Like Gateways Rather Than Gatekeepers, Students Are More Likely to Get Through College

When I was in middle school, it was pretty clear what my teachers thought of me. I was placed in the slow track, literally named…

These Girls Are Crushing High School Debate Tournaments and Sprinkling Some #BlackGirlGenius Along the Way

Last week, the Super Bowl of high school policy debate competitions—the Tournament of Champions (TOC)—took place at the University of Kentucky. A team must win…

I’m Celebrating How Newark Took Charter Schools From the Fringe to the Center

All parents deserve access to a high-quality school that nurtures and supports their children. But despite best intentions, many Newark parents continue to struggle finding…

Coffee Break: Why Mark Rynone Left Corporate to Help Kids With Special Needs

Mark Rynone considers his passion for education as an outgrowth of family values. After all, his mother, brother and a handful of other relatives work…

Got Questions About Education Reform? I’ve Heard Them All.

As I travel around the country on a 24-city book tour, giving talks and meeting with education reform leaders and activists, I get a lot…

When We Look Closer at the Results in Newark, the Arrow Is Unquestionably Pointed Up

Neerav Kingsland, in my estimation, is one of the premier thinkers (and doers) in the field. His notion of “relinquishment” as an organizing strategy for…

Thought Charter and District Schools Couldn’t Work Together? Newark Has Found a Way

It’s often noted that the original vision for charter schools, championed by legendary teachers’ union leader Al Shanker and others, was that they’d be “laboratories…

It’s Going to Be a Lot Harder to Shade Newark Public Schools With These Graduation Rates

It’s easy to be skeptical about improvements to Newark Public Schools (NPS), given its sordid history of corruption, desultory oversight, and—most critically—poor student outcomes. But…

Jared’s Got Something Special and KIPP’s ‘Pathways’ Is Helping Him Show It

Eight-year-old Jared Teel-Drayton hops into the room, hands flapping, eyes darting, smile alight. He’s been painting—his class went to the art room today—and his teacher,…

DeVos and the ‘Third Way’ Opportunity for Democratic Education Reformers

Democratic education reformers, like many parents throughout the country, passionately believe that our public education system is struggling and needs to get better. But the…