Five years ago, I left a failing school. Having taught in struggling schools for my entire career, the choice was difficult because I left a school that eventually closed, for a high-achieving one. Some people told me I was a sellout. One person said, with good intentions, that my talents would be wasted in this new environment. I didn’t disagree…
Month: December 2020
Will Biden’s Pick for Education Secretary Work for All Kids?
“We want to support you so that you can get to the great work of helping kids. You have to commit to that partnership if you’re a public school, and you are.” That’s Miguel Cardona, President-Elect Joe Biden’s pick for U.S. education secretary and current education commissioner of Connecticut, speaking last February to leaders of the charter school network Achievement First, which serves…
It’s Not Enough to Denounce Racism, We Have to Own Our Part in It
I often think about the 16-year-old Black girl who took my honors English class a few years ago. She was the only person of color in the class, and I allowed myself to believe over the course of the year that her writing skills were not on par with the other students. Objectively, I can see now that though she…
We Know That Education Data Matters, So Here’s How You Can Make It Easier For Activists To Use
By now, “follow the science” is in contention for the most popular phrase of 2020. But research and data aren’t just relevant for communities trying to stay safe during a pandemic. In education, advancing research-based practices can be the difference between a student falling through the cracks or beating the odds to get a great education. Grassroots education activists rely…