Reading is essential for learning, yet students across the U.S. are completing elementary school with inadequate reading abilities. So begins the announcement in The Harvard Gazette telling us about the new $30 million grant Chan/Zuckerberg will hand over to Harvard’s School of Education and MIT’s Integrative Learning Initiative (MITili). Learning to read, all of us […]
Class Size and Its Impact on Inclusion
Parents want teachers to address their child’s individual needs. Teachers want this too. They want to be able to work with and understand the students they teach. They especially want to help the students in their classes who have exceptional differences. This is difficult to do when class sizes are too large. If elementary teachers […]
America’s Students are Brilliant! The Cynics Can No Longer Claim Otherwise!
Beyond the sadness over the terrible event at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, still unimaginable, there was something that stood out last week. America’s kids are smart! Really smart! They’re smarter than the school reformers who have said ugly things against them for years! President Trump referred to public schools in his Inaugural Address as an education […]
6 Concerns: Are “Community Schools” Paving the Way for School Choice and Digital Instruction?
Here is how the Coalition of Community Schools defines their concept of community schools. A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development and community engagement leads to improved student learning, stronger […]
No Mending of Broken Hearts—End Assault Weapons and Gun Violence NOW!
Does America love its kids? After Valentine’s Day the answer when it comes to many lawmakers is a definite NO! Even if you don’t live in Parkland, many knew those who did. Maybe you sat on the edge of your seat Wednesday, hoping against all odds that it wasn’t the parent you knew who was […]
IEPs for All Students? Hold On!
A discussion about IEPs for all students seems to be trending. In an interview with The Nation during the presidential campaign, Jane Sanders talked about IEPs and public schools. It was likely the most we heard about public education at that time. Here are her words. It’s interesting, because we’ve made progress with IEPs [Individualized […]
Teacherless Koch School Supported by Wichita State University College of Education: Pixie Dust!
Here’s the pun of the day…well sort of…and it’s mixed with much magical pixie dust. Who does a College of Education, meant to prepare teachers to teach, teach when they partner with a private school that celebrates no teachers? It’s a mystery. These are transformational schools. But transformation doesn’t always work. Psst. Pixie dust is, […]
Special Education Mess in Texas: Stonewalling to End Public Schools?
Texans are still understandably upset about their children losing out on special education services. Texas education officials look like they are stonewalling to keep special education services from students. Here’s the most recent information on the Texas special education boondoggle. You have to hit the links to get the real picture, and even then it […]
The Sad Impact of Corporate School Reform on Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities
We have a lot of troubled kids. As of 2016, approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. For children aged 8–15, the estimate is 13%. HERE. Schools should be on the front line to assist children and adolescents with mental health difficulties. But […]
Elephant in the Room: It’s the Tech Takeover, NOT Common Core
We are in danger of losing public schools and it’s all about “disruption” and technology. The federal government is leading the way. Common Core State Standards were unproven and costly. I hate what Common Core did to children. Common Core and other school problems are still worth discussing. But technology and its overwhelming impact on […]