Opt-Out

Have You Heard of ‘Racial Crossfit’? Try This Summer Workout
White people, with all the racial turmoil in our world, do you want “do something” about racism? Well, today is your lucky day! Debuting for…

Opting Out of a Third-Grade Test Is Bad But Passing Third-Graders Who Can’t Read Is Worse
If there’s one thing that everyone can agree on in the case of the opt-out moms versus the state of Florida, it’s that Michelle Rhea’s…

If You’re Weak on Opt-Out, You’re Weak on Accountability
Some states may be setting themselves up to fail. That’s my takeaway after reading through a summary of state education plans for dealing with schools that…

9 Stories of Parents Demanding Better Schools in 2016
Okay, so I’m not a parent—yet. But every day I read so many inspiring stories of parents from around the country demanding better schools for…

To Know the Black Community Is to Know How Thirsty We Are for Better Schools
I often wonder what it will take for Black children in our communities to attend high-performing schools. According to many anti-school choice opponents, the only…

Who Won Last Night’s Election? Not the Kids.
By any measure, last night was a tough night for pro-education reform Democrats. Defying expectations and the polls, Republican Donald Trump was elected President of…

Here We Go Again: White Privileged Suburbs Deciding What’s Best for Black and Brown Children
There’s something depressingly familiar about the privileged pushback we’re seeing in Massachusetts around the ballot measure to lift the cap on charter schools. An active…

Hey Parents, Common Core Is Working Despite All the Fuss About Fuzzy Math
I know from experience that parents generally don’t tune into news about state test results until they get that personalized report about their own child’s…

Education Polling: Are Americans Complacent, or Just Confused?
Opt-Out. Testing. Charters. Common Core. Closings. Accountability. Standards. Teacher Tenure. Teacher Pay. School Spending. If you’re in the education bubble, like we are, you spend…

Tell Me, When Were Schools Ever Great for Black Children?
When I hear people reminisce about and allude to a time when schools and systems worked for our communities, I try to follow their logic—but their…