Personally, mine are already mailed in. My circumstances changed so much this year I have no idea whether I took a bigger hit or not. But regardless of your tax status, here are some pieces from the week for your edification. Take a read, and support these writers by passing on their stuff. Remember-- when you amplify a news media piece about education and it garners more hits, you help convince editors that it's worth their time to cover education.
Most Vouchers Go To Students From Wealthier Districts
This is not a new piece, but it's a reminder that in Arizona, where vouchers have bloomed, they are rarely used by poor students to "escape" terrible schools. Good to keep in mind as vouchers enjoy a new push across the country.
The Plot Against America: Inside the Christian plan to "remodel" the nation.
A deeper dig into the UDSA Today piece about copy-paste bills. And it does get to education and vouchers.
If We Don't Work On Pedagogy, Nothing Else Matters
Not sure I agree with every single word of this essay from Robin Pendoley, but it's at the very least a place to start a discussion.
Betsy DeVos Can't Be Bothered
Mary Sanchez at the Orlando Sentinel has kind of had it with the typical Betsy DeVos Congressional hearing performance.
The Toll College and Career Ready Education Has Taken On Students
Nancy Bailey talks about the damage done by this policy obsession.
LeBron James Opened a School That Was Considered an Experiment
Remember how King James was going to throw his weight and money behind a public school? Erica Green takes a measured, thoughtful look at how that's going. Worth reading not just for the work of the school, but to remember what journalism that is neither puffing up a miracle school nore tearing down an edu-disaster looks like.
DeVos's Staff Blocked Researchers
Jan Resseger looks a little more closely at how the department tried to thwart research about their spending on charter schools.
Beverly Cleary's Birthday
Not strictly an education story, but the woman turned 103 this week. Damn! Here are some nice birthday pieces from Oprah, Southern Living, and Scary Mommy.
Ron Desantis Has Big Hairy Audacious Goals For Florida Education
An excellent overview of just how very much trouble public education is in in Florida.
Betsy DeVos Quietly Making It Easier for Dying For-profits To Stick It To Students
DeVos remains a fan of business; of students bilked by business, not so much. Here's one small, quiet way she's looking out for the former by sticking it to the latter.
Benchmark Assessments Don't Actually Do Any Good
Some thoughts about repeatedly weighing the pig.
Softly Killing Public Education
Add the St. Louis Dispatch to the list of newspaper editorial boards that have figured out that the push for vouchers is a push to kill and replace public education.
Bad Ideas and Educational Scripture
Should we listen to the experts or to teachers (trick question).
Putting The Pieces Together
The Momma Bears connect the voucher push of guys like Governor Lee to the drive to kill public education.
I'm very glad LeBron's school is doing well. He's the only well-known person or celebrity who wanted to help and did it by asking teachers what was needed.
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