DeVos Has a ‘Heart’ for DREAMers. But That’s About It.

While President Trump took to his usual 140-characters Thursday to tip-toe around his support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program his administration…

Just Because Trump and DeVos Like Charter Schools Doesn’t Mean You Can’t, Too

A while ago school choice policies were gaining steam across the country. Charter schools and vouchers were still somewhat controversial, but more and more people…

Illinois’ School Accountability Plan Doesn’t Work for Our Kids and the Feds Told Them So

It’s comforting to learn that the feds (i.e. The U.S. Department of Education run by Secretary Betsy DeVos) has some serious concerns about Illinois accountability…

Without the Office for Civil Rights, My High School Would Have Continued to Discriminate Against Students Like Me

You may have seen the news. On July 11, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos responded to a letter written by Senator Patty Murray, which questioned the…

Dear Betsy, You Need to Get Serious About Addressing Sexual Assault

Dear Betsy, I think you’re having kind of a tough time in your new role. You’ve got a non-existent relationship with the press, you were…

Trump and DeVos Are Sending Mixed Messages to Our Transgender Youth and It Is Deadly

It shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone that DeVos and Trump have placed transgender youth in a dangerous limbo. Almost everyone in the LGBTQIA…

We’ve Known for Years What Makes Teachers Better: It Isn’t Sexy or Controversial But It Works

As school reforms go, it’s not sexy, it’s not new, and it’s not at all controversial. So it probably won’t get as much attention as…

I Almost Didn’t Graduate High School Because My School Wouldn’t Change a Light Bulb

Recently, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said she believes local and state governments should be allowed to set their own rules when it comes to…

Education Reform Isn’t Just for Cities

School reform advocate Derrell Bradford and policy writer Andy Rotherham hit on it. Illinois education writer Tracy Dell’Angela has a blog focused on it. Teacher/education…

Betsy DeVos Says Discrimination Isn’t Her Problem. And She’s Dead Wrong.

Give Education Secretary Betsy DeVos points for ideological consistency. In a budget hearing yesterday, Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) pressed DeVos on whether her plan for…