The Trump edition
The miseducation of Donald Trump voters, a brave and bold take on sex education, student pressure in a New Jersey district, and the effectiveness of school vouchers in Louisiana.
The miseducation of Donald Trump voters, a brave and bold take on sex education, student pressure in a New Jersey district, and the effectiveness of school vouchers in Louisiana.
By Robert Pondiscio
I re-read about fifty major articles, blog posts, and other missives about ESSA over the break, since this written record will serve as the foundation for years of commentary and analysis. Below are the five major themes that jumped out (along with gobs of the supporting links).1. The diminished role of Uncle Sam in schools
As everyone knows, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)—the long-overdue reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act—was approved by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate and signed into law by the president in December.
Money to expand high-performing charters should not be jeopardized by bad actors
As 2015 was coming to a close, I compiled a list of my fifty favorite reads of the year. You can find them all here.
Editor's note: This post was first published on Flypaper on May 5, 2015.
Spending time with nieces and nephews this holiday season—teenagers who are making decisions about where to go to college, what to study, and which vocations to pursue—has reminded me of just how lucky I am to have one of the best jobs in the world.
This year has been one of the most consequential for education reform in quite some time.
Fourteen states have seen positive policy changes since NACSA’s inaugural report last year. By Jamie Davies O’Leary
In time for Christmas, a how-to book for philanthropists who want to bring new life to Catholic schools. By Kate Stringer
The importance of making history an academic priority once again. By Robert Pondisico
The best compliment I can pay a fellow education blogger is to confess professional jealousy. By Robert Pondiscio
Celebrate National School Choice Week in Columbus on January 27
The biggest education stories of 2015 (and 2016), how curriculum reform fared over the last twelve months, and the year’s best research studies.
The Apple App Store and Google Play are chocked-full of educational apps for your kids, some excellent and some schlock. Separating the wheat from the chaff is no small task; thankfully Graphite (a spin-off from Common Sense Media) does an excellent job highlighting and reviewing the better ones.
The bill is signed, the law is enacted, the debates are a fading memory. Now a new phase of the fight begins. Join Mike Petrilli of the Thomas B.
With almost half of its students attending charter schools, Washington, D.C. is one the leading school-choice cities in the nation.
ESSA implementation, TFA students who become TFA teachers, Justice Scalia’s ill-spoken comments on race, and the effect of teacher layoffs on teacher quality and student achievement.
Clear-eyed about the challenges. Constructive and hopeful about workable solutions. Robert Pondiscio
In most states, a surprising amount of progress in a short amount of time. Robert Pondiscio
ESSA’s presidential signature, the opt-out movement’s rural footprint, the economic benefit of NAEP proficiency, and TFA’s second-generation teachers.
That excuse turns out to be a crutch that’s unsupported by the evidence. Michael J. Petrilli and Brandon L. Wright
There is a fast track in American education. And we’re getting far too few African American students onto it. By Brandon L. Wright and Chester E. Finn, Jr.
Some say the world will end in fire. Some say in ice. But if you’re pressed for time and want to end all intelligent life quickly, nothing beats a task force.