Why Legislative Words Matter
This one’s for all the aspiring policy wonks. In Newark, NJ, the superintendent recently attempted to revoke the tenure rights of a group of teachers deemed ineffective. The state has a statute...
View ArticleThe Definitive Ranking of 2016 Candidates… by Charter Performance
Note: Several candidates are missing from this chart. The states represented by Rand Paul (KY) and Bernie Sanders (VT) do not currently have charter laws. The states represented by Martin O’Malley...
View ArticleIn Some States, Pre-K Providers That Have the Money, Keep the Money, and...
Charter schools should offer pre-k. Sometimes they can, and sometimes they can’t. One reason they can’t: Policies in ten states privilege existing pre-k providers. When these states allocate pre-k...
View ArticleIf the Decision is Obvious, You’re Not Doing It Right
I’m a big supporter of charter schools as pre-k providers. I have a daily Google alert for “(pre-k OR prekindergarten) AND charter.” No one else really writes about charter schools and pre-k, so...
View ArticleWhat We Can — and Can’t — Learn From New Jersey to Improve Pre-K Teacher...
Should pre-K teachers have degrees? A recent New York Times Magazine article looks at both some of the challenges facing early childhood teachers and the debate over whether or not policymakers should...
View ArticleWhat the Providence Public School District Can Learn from Newark
Reforming an entire school system is a tall order, but other districts with similar challenges show that change is possible. One such example is just 191 miles down I-95: Newark. The post What the...
View ArticleCory Booker’s Move on Charter Schools is Both Political — and Good
A prodigal son of the charter school sector returned home on Monday, when Senator Cory Booker voiced support for charter schools in the New York Times, a notable shift from his criticism of charter...
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