Charter Schools Must Be Part of the Solution for Desegregation

America is more diverse than it’s ever been, as are the students attending public schools, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at individual schools.…

Yes, They Can Go to College, Even With Learning Differences

According to a recent report, one in five American students have learning or attention differences, with challenges ranging from dyslexia to ADHD and more. As…

‘I Want to Talk About Better Academic and Life Outcomes for Black and Brown Kids. Period.’

If we have really well-prepared young people who are going to the exact college they want to go to, who will graduate from college within…

NAACP: Don’t Make Black Kids the New ‘Cotton’ That Funds Failing Public Schools

Because we want our children and grandchildren to be ready for college, NAACP members like me have chosen tuition-free public charter schools. But instead of…

Some Hard-Earned Advice for Teachers Who Want to Be Heard

Five years ago, I was named Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year.  The months and years following are a time in my life I now refer…

It’s Disappointing That My Civil Rights Organization Doesn’t Support My Civil Rights

As an advocate for equity in public education, I joined the NAACP, and eventually became the education chair for Southwest Riverside County. I believed I…

Here Are 8 Things That Make a Good School

Educators have difficulty agreeing upon what makes a “good school.” My thoughts about this topic have continued to change as I progressed through K-12, earned…

How a Dozen Immigrant Parents Organized to Transform Literacy in Their District

Parents’ love for their children is the single greatest—and most underutilized—natural resource in education. I learned this firsthand as a son. My parents escaped political…

Newark Students Deserve Education Champions Who Keep Their Promises

It’s no secret that education in the city of Newark has had a tumultuous history. It’s a history with a complex narrative—going from a distinguished…

Have We Been Paying Too Much Attention to Girls in School at the Expense of Boys?

Legendary actress Meryl Streep recently garnered a considerable amount of media attention during a Vanity Fair panel about the second season of HBO’s series “Big…