In State of the Union, Trump makes clear his aversion to public schools

By Valerie Strauss  Feb. 4, 2020 If for some reason you haven’t been clear about what President Trump thinks about traditional public schools, consider what he said about them in his State of the Union address Tuesday night. There was this: “For too long, countless American children have been trapped in failing government schools.” What’s a…

All D.C. students deserve high-performing schools

By Anthony A. Williams  Jan. 31, 2020 Anthony A. Williams, a Democrat, was D.C. mayor from 1999 to 2007 and is chief executive of the Federal City Council. Public school choice is working for District students and families. Our once-struggling public schools now are beacons of innovation and improvement for the nation. A new report by…

Annual Report Highlights Persistent Gaps And Success Stories In Pittsburgh Public Schools

By SARAH SCHNEIDER 11-12-19 Morrison Young, left, a City Charter High School student reflects on a report on learning outcomes in Pittsburgh public schools. SARAH SCHNEIDER / 90.5 WESA Academic achievement gaps are persistent in Pittsburgh Public Schools, according to an annual report released Monday by education advocacy group A+ Schools. While the report has historically analyzed those trends, this…

Detroit Students Fight for the Right to Literacy

By Kristiana Bolzman November 12, 2019 A 2016 lawsuit re-emerged last month that, if successful, could be the first to codify a fundamental right to literacy. But proponents ignore the possibility that competition within education may be a more effective solution to the challenges students face. The lawsuit began in 2016, when several Detroit students sued the State…

Gov. Cooper vetoes 4 bills impacting teacher raises, corporate tax cuts

November 8, 2019  RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday morning announced he had vetoed four bills impacting educator raises and corporate tax cuts in North Carolina. Surrounded by teachers at the Executive Mansion, Cooper vetoed H231 (UNC System & Community College Pay) and S354 (Strengthening Educator Pay Act). Cooper called for the…

ANALYSIS: Teachers Are Changing American Politics In Kentucky And Elsewhere

By Perry Bacon Jr. November 8, 2019 Teachers are changing American politics. We can’t quantify exactly how much of a role teachers and their opposition to Matt Bevin played in Andy Beshear’s victory this week. The teachers didn’t directly get Beshear elected on their own. There are about 42,000 public school teachers in Kentucky, so even if every one…

Michigan districts with biggest losses to school choice in 2018-19

By Julie Mack Second grade teachers greet their new students during the first day of school on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019 at Doyle-Ryder Elementary School in Flint, as Flint Community Schools transition into a balanced calendar for the first time. (Jake May | MLive.com) The list of Michigan school districts hit hardest by school choice includes…

Pittsburgh Public Schools unveils next phase of equity plan

  Nov 7, 2019   Pittsburgh Public Schools unveils next phase of equity plan   PITTSBURGH – It’s a push for change and fairness in the classroom that Pittsburgh Public Schools district leaders hope will continue elsewhere. The Pittsburgh Board of Public Education unveiled Thursday the next phase of its equity plan. The plan will help reduce…