70 Years of Promises in Education. What Will It Take for Us to Keep Them?

The promise of public education is that it prepares young people for life—and the commitments we have made to meet this aspiration have dramatically increased…

You Can Call It a ‘Lost Decade,’ But I See a Lot of Good Things Happening

WHAT WE GOT RIGHT: The spin never stops when it comes to education and it goes into overdrive with the close of a decade. Amidst all the hype of a lost decade and the need for humility from education reformers, I see a glass way more than half full.…

We Need to Meet in the Middle to Build on Education Reform Success

Twenty-five years ago Massachusetts launched its own education revolution and emerged as a national public education leader. Now it’s time to reassess our achievements and…

Educators at This School Give Students a Choice and Voice in How They Want to Learn

Schools providing personalized learning integrate student interests and self-pacing into their curriculum by combining student-centered practices with technology. There are many approaches to personalized learning,…

Critical Thinking Should Not Be a Luxury: 3 Strategies for Unleashing the Potential of Every Student

I read “The Scarlet Letter” in high school, and we sat in our rows and went through the same old exercises. We read it, summarized…

Coffee Break: Principal Stacey Gauthier on How Her Queens School Helped Build the Charter Movement

Stacey Gauthier is the principal of the Renaissance Charter School, a Pre-K through 12 conversion charter school in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. She’s served…

3 Reasons I’m Missing Teachers Union Legend Al Shanker Right About Now

Three recent experiences have served to remind me how much I miss—and how much the country and the cause of better education were diminished by…

Why I’m Not Disappointed Opt Out in Oregon Has Lost Its Steam

Last year, parents, educators and community advocates across Oregon joined forces in a campaign to fight standardized tests in schools and the evaluations that arise…

College Remediation: Not Just a Problem for Those ‘Other’ Kids

This is college acceptance season, the weeks when millions of high school seniors pore over their offers and agonize about which campus offers the best…

How Maria Montessori Can Help Us Get Past the False Debate Between Work and Play

A false debate rages among parents and even educators these days: play versus academic content. While there’s no question academic expectations for our youngest learners…