We Must Be Disciples for Our Students in 2021

This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, educators nationwide, and the world over, have had to adapt how they provide services to children and families.…

Why I Gave My Son Permission to Drop Out of High School

We see a child in a maple treeWe’re watching him climb,You and I.You say, “Come down,You’ll hurt yourself!”I say, “Go upYou’re touching the sky!” –…

Here’s Why Independent Reading Matters in a Pandemic

We’re in the midst of a back-to-school season like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised lots of questions about how to safely and effectively…

Former Sec. of Ed John King Calls on School Boards to Govern With Equity

While partisan politics has once again dominated the headlines this election season, the real stories lie with the thousands of newly-elected local officials across the…

Let’s Be Honest About School Choice

School choice strawmen are a formidable army that thinking people have yet to defeat. Nevertheless, we must keep trying. As a reader who casually consumes…

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…

Q&A: Chris Cerf on Fighting COVID Learning Loss With Great Teaching

Last March schools across the country closed and typical live instruction morphed into erratic meetings on Zoom. Many of us assumed this was a short-term…

Karega Rausch Says Charter Schools Get Better Outcomes for Kids When They Listen to Communities

With all the ruckus around charter schools, it’s easy to forget they can’t be painted with a broad brush. Each state has its own charter…

‘Black Boys’ Can Help You Reach African American Males in Your Classroom

The week that it was Black History Month, I grabbed two assignments. One from a district that was serving mostly white kids, and they were…

After a Decade of Opposing Voucher Programs, I’m Wondering If I Was Wrong

I smiled at the two little girls seated across the table in the school board conference room but only six-year-old Kayla, wriggling in her pink…