ICYMI: Back in Action Edition (1/7)

Damn, but it's cold outside. Time to catch up on some of the good reads for the week.

Black CPS Student Migration 

In Chicago, it's becoming evident that school closure and privatization can be a way to drive the non-white, non-wealthy citizens out of town. Here's a look at how that has been playing out.

School Choice, Segregation, and Democracy

The January issue of the School Superintendents Association has a thorough look at how stratification is harmful to the common good.

The Hidden Attrition of Success Academy

As the first cohort of SA finishes up, Gary Rubinstein notices that their attrition rate is probably even worse than we thought.

Betsy DeVos in Her Own Words

Valerie Strauss pulls eight quotes from the Secretary of Education's first year to tell her story.

The Mind Trust Attack

One of the prototypes for public-private partnership is circumventing democracy in order to dismantle public education is Indiana's Mind Trust. Here's Thomas Ultican with a breakdown of Mind Trust history.

Is the Smarter Balanced test Broken

Something may be wrong with the most recent results of the test, and SBA doesn't want to talk about the problem.

Flanagan's Best of 2017

There is no better use of your free reads at EdWeek than Nancy Flanagan's blog, and she's listed her top pieces of the year.

When Readers Struggle: Background Knowledge

Russ Walsh with some practical and thoughtful ideas about the value of background knowledge in learning to read.

Only You Can Prevent School Finance Ignorance

Jersey Jazzman once again explains what newspaper coverage can't (or won 't) get right about covering how education tax dollars are spent.

What Could Ever Go Wrong with a Five Start System?

Another explanation of how to game a rating system

How NYS Decided to Lower Teacher Standards for Some Charter Schools

The story of how New York charters won the right to hire unqualified warm bodies to fill teaching spots.

Charter Schools Are Changing America, and Not for the Better

The Nation takes a look at a report on the negative effects of charterization