Tag: teachers

Our definition of a public school is changing. And so, how we support our public school system financially is also changing. Mark Lieberman, an EducationWeek online reporter specializing in school finance, recently wrote, “Over the years of covering school finance, I keep running up against one nagging question: Does the way we pay for public…

Here’s your Friday News Roundup. Alaska Natives Are Claiming Their Seat at the Table (The 74) “Three decades ago, Herb Schroeder was working as a professor and engineer for the University of Alaska, researching rural sanitation. But in that work, he never met a native Alaskan engineer.” “So in 1995, he decided to change that,…

I’ve written about the Carnegie Unit before. “In the early 1900’s, the nation’s civic leaders launched a full court press to make secondary education – previously offered to an elite few – available to the many. They compelled communities to build high schools and sought to convince the populace that a diploma was their ticket…

In most traditional school districts, the College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program, and their collected courses, are the “gold standard” when it comes to offering a college-level experience while still in high school. When I was a middle school and high school principal, one of the reasons we had strong academics is that we persuaded…

When I worked as a region superintendent in Texas, there was no decision more controversial than whether to keep a neighborhood school open or close it because of low enrollment. Kids couldn’t read. The community was quiet. Kids didn’t do well on their state math exams. The community stayed quiet. Questionable books were found in…

I often wonder if what our kids are learning inside schools really makes a difference toward the outcomes we want for our world? Don’t get me wrong, being able to read, write, and problem-solve are important skills everyone needs to possess – especially in this day and age. But when it comes to learning how…

This month our son Sam started his first year of medical school. Sam attended traditional public school kindergarten until he graduated from high school. He was fortunate to be accepted to an elite Midwestern liberal arts college where he earned a degree in biochemistry. Sam always did well within our traditional system of education. He…

Georgia Teachers Fried After Reading Book on Gender to Fifth-Grade Class (The Washington Post) This past week The Washington Post reported that, “A decision to fire an elementary school teacher from Georgia has been upheld, after she read a children’s book on gender identity to her fifth-grade class earlier this year.” “The Cobb County School…

I used to work with Matt. We launched The Education Game together, a learning service designed to help parents figure out a better way to get their gets smarter and stronger when it came to reading, writing, problem-solving, and character development skills. Although The Education Game didn’t have the impact both Matt and I wanted,…

Wanted: Classroom teachers who are tired of working in a broken system, creative leaders who want to help young learners become smarter and stronger without the interference of state legislatures, state and local boards of education, and district curriculum departments, adult learning leaders who receive training in building personalized learning plans for their young learners.…