Oakland’s School Board Cares More About Politics Than It Does About Kids and Families

Reyna Morales lives in Oakland, California, and is the parent of two students at a high-performing charter school located in an area with a dearth…

Here’s Why Putting the Brakes on Charter Schools Is So 2020

Prior to COVID-19 upending American education, some state legislatures around the country considered moratoriums or “pauses” on public charter schools; while others, like in California,…

Three Lessons We Learned Through This Pandemic in 2020

It’s easy to view remote learning through the lens of its deficits. After all, there’s really no substitute for the face-to-face rapport with an excellent…

You Can Hate Trump and Support School Choice

Every time Donald Trump says, “school choice is the civil rights issue of our time,” I cringe. It’s hard to think of a more debauched…

I Believe in School Choice, But Only When Those Choices Are Available to Everyone

Two weeks ago, the governor of my state directed $32 million dollars in funds from the federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) fund to create…

Biden’s Unity Task Force Isn’t Building Education Back Better, It’s Holding Back Progress

I am a quintessential American Democrat, a New York Jew raised by teachers union members whose own parents endured brutal bigotry before they escaped Eastern…

School Closures Will Never Achieve Equity and Liberation for Black Kids

Oh, this board meeting will be interesting. The auditorium is filled with folks who are geared up for a showdown. All have matching blue shirts…

What Happens When a Good Public Charter School Can’t Get a Building

Imagine that your 15-year-old daughter is enrolled in a public high school that you both chose for its affirmative culture and impressive academics. Your daughter—let’s…

Democrats, This Is Your Moment to Make Equity More Than a Slogan

Where do Democratic candidates stand on public education? After last month’s Forum on Education, we know that the candidates are committed to increasing the federal…

There Are So Many Things Wrong With This Piece in ‘The Nation.’ Here Are My Top 4.

On New Year’s Eve “The Nation” published an analysis by Jennifer Berkshire called “The Democrats’ School Choice Problem.” Her piece is instructive because it illustrates a strategy…