Edspresso
"For Too Many Families, The Skies Have Not Cleared": Massachusetts' Time To Shine for Education Opportunity
On Thursday, July 14th, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker stood in front of the State House among families, students, legislators, and residents to advocate for the importance of expanding educational opportunities for children. Students and their families -- likely some of the more than 32,000 on charter school wait lists -- echoed throughout the downpour of…
Seeking Innovative Solutions to The Challenge of Adult Literacy
By Liza McFadden My great-grandparents emigrated from Westport, Ireland and I've traveled to see the home they left. In the summer it's a charming, whitewashed building with a picturesque view of the harbor that belies the hunger and hardship that motivated its residents to seek a better life across the ocean. I’m reminded of this…
Mississippi's Charter School Law: A Sad But Sitting Duck for a Lawsuit
A group claiming to work against poverty has filed a lawsuit against Mississippi's fledgling and very modest charter school law that was intended to help poor kids. This is ironic at best, and harmful to kids, at worst.
A Call to Action for Renewed Focus on REAL Education Reform
by Steven Guttentag, President of Connections Education On Wednesday June 15th, I attended a lunch at the National Press Club at the invitation of Jeanne Allen, founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform, and a long-time, tireless and effective supporter of choice and charters. At this event, Jeanne unveiled The New Opportunity Agenda,…
DCOSP Parents to Capitol Hill: "Please don’t let this program go away"
Since 2004, 6,385 low-income students have attended private schools through the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program (DCOSP), with 90% graduating from high school and 88% continuing their education at a two-year or four-year college. However, DCOSP is authorized through the end of FY2016. On Tuesday, June 12, The Parent Network for Better Education held a seminar…
Eight Important Tweets on The Future of Adult Literacy
Thirty-six million Americans can't read. Low-literacy skills are directly linked to higher unemployment, less earned income and poor health. The result is a lack of social mobility and greater inequality for millions of families. On June 8, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy convened entrepreneurs, investors, technology leaders, futurists, visionaries, policy makers, and NGO’s…
THIS IS YOUR LIFE, charter schools!
As you’ve probably heard, charter schools celebrated their foundational birthday this month. All the tributes remind us of an episode of This is Your Life, in which numerous people pay tribute to the icon being celebrated. So today, we join those celebrating charter schools again, because of their long history of successfully changing the paradigm…
A Charter Advocate's Lament
A poem for charter school advocates, adapted from the famous words of Pastor Martin Niemöller: First they came for the virtual charters, and I did not speak out— Because I don’t run a virtual charter. Then they came for the single campus schools, and I did not speak out— Because I run a charter…
Why Innovators Can’t Get a Seat at the Ed Tech Table
It’s official. American public schools are now the world’s largest purchaser of iPads. And we thought that award went to moms who just want to get the laundry done. In 2016, it’s no longer possible to argue that the age of digital education has yet to arrive. Walk into any classroom across the country and…
Why Innovators Can’t Get a Seat at the EdTech Table
It’s official. American public schools are now the world’s largest purchaser of iPads. And we thought that award went to moms who just want to get the laundry done. In 2016, it’s no longer possible to argue that the age of digital education has yet to arrive. Walk into any classroom across the country…