ICYMI: Local Donuts Edition (11/16)

Apparently it is now our routine; Saturday mornings the Board of Directors and I go uptown to a local donut shop. Like most local donut shops, they make donuts way better than commercial ones because they are local and the donuts are not designed to travel cross-country and sit in packaging for days and days. You may remember the lesson of Krispy Kreme donuts, a once much-sought-after delicacy that was bought up and stripped of everything that made them desirable in order to market them at scale. There's a lesson there somewhere. In the meantime, if you're in my neighborhood, grab some Clark's Donuts. And in your own neighborhood, support a local business.

Okay, let's get to the list for this week.

"I Hope I'm Alive to See the Rebuilding Begin"

Scholar and writer Josh Cowen interviews Diane Ravitch about her new memoir, a book that you really ought to read.

Rigid Federal Rules May Block Efforts by Dem. States to Redirect New Federal Vouchers for Pro-Public School Uses

Jan Resseger points out that rosy predictions designed to convince Democratic governors to sign up for federal vouchers are--well, just not rooted in reality. Sorry, Arne.

The So-Called Science of Reading’s New Focus on Babies

Nancy Bailey explains the latest bad idea from the start-them-at-birth crowd. 

"Understanding" Shouldn't Be Vague or Mysterious

Michael Pershan looks at the idea of conceptual understanding and how to build it in a classroom. He's mostly talking math, but the ideas that he lays out here work just as well for other content.

How Pa.’s largest public cyber charter school discourages public participation

Oliver Morrison and the folks at PennLive have been doing an absolutely top notch series about cyber charters in PA. This is one of the best, and if I've done it right, this is a gift link (which will expire in six days). 

The Myth of the Anti-American Teacher

Nancy Flanagan covered these survey results last week, but here's the view from the other side of the education debates, via Robert Pondiscio.

Colorado’s 2025 election hints at future of state’s public education

Colorado is another state where outsiders spent a mountain of money on education issues-- and lost. Paula Noonan breaks it down.

How Much Screen Time Is Your Child Getting at School? We Asked 350 Teachers.

The New York Times talked to some teachers about screen time in schools. Some interesting data here, particularly as leaders are trying to jam AI into every corner of education.

Girl, 13, expelled for hitting classmate who made a deepfake porn image of her, lawyers say

Speaking of technology problems in school. This story comes from Louisiana, where I think they have some catching up to do.

California Charter Schools Heading for 2026

Thomas Ultican  looks at attempts in California to avoid more charter school fiascos, and the history of pro-fiasco rich folks. 

Sticker Shock: Hillsdale’s Constitution (Propaganda) Revealed

Anchorage Alaska school district got in a Libs of TikTok-powered flap over disclaimers on Hillsdale free pocket Constitutions. Mathew Beck explains why it was bunk, and as a bonus, takes us inside one of those "free" handouts for students from the right-wing college.

Absence Makes the Smart Go Wander

Nancy Flanagan wins headline of the year contest with this piece about school absences (including the differences between public and charter schools).

What is Your Theory of Change?

Steve Nuzum looks at theories of change (or the absence thereof) in the education world.

“Good” Doctors and Teachers (Part 2)

Larry Cuban asks some pointed questions about "good" teachers.

Nov. 6th Local Election Returns Show Ohio Voters Out of Sync with Legislature’s Attack on Public Schools

Jan Resseger looks at the many ways that the election showed Ohio's legislature out of step with the voters.

Every Child Known… But Are They Valued?

TC Weber continues to dissect the policy that Nashville leaders claim, and finds his way to this poster-worthy principle-- Leadership that avoids accountability always protects systems that avoid responsibility.

Fallout from shutdown could be lengthy, school leaders say

At EdSource, Zaidee Stavely and Lasherica Thornton explain why even though the shutdown may be over, the mess it made in schools is not.

School Privatizers Cost Public School Kids $1.6 billion, or a fully funded public school system

Stephen Dyer corrects some deliberately misleading math.

Maybe Don’t Talk to the New York Times About Zohran Mamdani

This piece from Peter Coviello, former chair of Africana studies at Bowdoin College, is a great piece of prose and a fun read that along the way offers a dissection of New York Times failing style. From Literary Hub.

Can you really talk to the dead using AI? We tried out ‘deathbots’ so you don’t have to

So creepy. So very creepy. For The Conversation, by Eve Nieto McAvoy and Jenny Kidd.

A Pair of Billionaire Preachers Built the Most Powerful Political Machine in Texas. That’s Just the Start.

An important part of understanding Why Stuff Happens the way it does in Texas is understanding these two guys-- Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks. Excellent profile from Ava Kofman at ProPublica.

Sports Analytics: How Data Informs Preparation and Play

Unabashed plug. My nephew is a sports writer and his wife is an assistant professor of statistics at Carleton College, and I think it is beyond cool that they are teaching a course about sports analytics next summer. It's a non-credit course, and I think if you're anywhere around Northfield, Minnesota and have a love for wonky sports stuff, you should find a way to get into this. 

This week at Forbes.com, I wrote about a Florida book ban court decision that seems neither smart nor promising, and about the new set of Pennsylvania laws that will now rein cyber charters in a bit. 

Jimmie Lunceford deserves to be more remembered than he is. A seminal big band leader and an influence on guys like Glenn Miller, but under-represented in the video record. These guys could really cook. 

I'm hoping to crack the 3,000 mark for subscribers some day. It's quick and simple to subscribe, it's always free, and it's the easiest way to get my stuff regularly.