EXPLAINED: What Are Standardized Tests and Why Do We Need Them?

Few education topics get parents, teachers, and school leaders more riled up than discussions about using results from student tests to measure the quality of…

Higher Education Is the New Poverty Pimp

I’ve been wanting to get this off my chest for a while and here it is—higher education is the new poverty pimp in Black communities…

The Epidemic We’re Not Talking About: Most High School Seniors Can’t Read or Do Math

The National Assessment for Education Progress (NAEP)—nicknamed “America’s Report Card”—released their 12th grade scores at the end of October.  The horrifying results: Just 37% of 12th-graders reached or…

We Don’t Give a Damn About Equity Initiatives Without Intentional Investment in Our Kids

Closed mouths don’t get fed. That’s why fellow Chicago activist, Natasha Dunn, and I recently demanded that Chicago Public Schools adopt our Black Student Achievement…

Teachers, If You Haven’t Been Giving a Damn About Your Students, We Definitely Don’t Need You Now

Before I stroll into my routine of being a habitual line stepper, let me state my usual disclaimer. Educators, I love and appreciate y’all. I…

White Progressives Have a Lot of Work to Do, and I’m Not Here to Help

When I ran for school board it was the former Minneapolis mayor who was the first elected official to endorse me. She asked me a…

Our Kids Can No Longer Wait for Educational Justice, And They Shouldn’t Have To

I wanna talk about three things: movements, public education and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words foreshadowing what would be an ongoing and urgent fight.…

Why Are Black Families Leaving Chicago? Maybe They Can’t Afford to Wait for Better Schools.

My hometown of Chicago has touted itself as a progressive city for many years. We’ve stood firm in our position as a sanctuary city and…

Lakisha Young Talks About How Oakland Is Tackling the Reading Crisis

Lakisha Young is the executive director of The Oakland REACH. Her work began through witnessing the disparities faced by Black and Brown students, including members…

The Republican Party Doesn’t Own the School Reform Movement. People of Color Do.

On Tuesday, President Donald J. Trump delivered his fourth State of the Union Address (SOTU) to the 116th Congress and the nation. The annual address…