Amid the hullabaloo surrounding Betsy DeVos’ confirmation hearings for U.S.Secretary of Education, there was also a force at work with the potential to destroy American public education---and we missed it. Some of history’s greatest activists and thinkers warned of the need to see even the stealthiest of threats to progress. Malcolm X challenged that liberals … Continue reading DeVos can’t destroy public education, but our hypocrisy can
Marsha Hinson on Why Delaware Kids Need Action
Last month, I had the opportunity to attend a great meeting (the Governor's Every Student Succeeds Act Advisory Committee meeting) regarding how the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) should be implemented in Delaware! I absolutely loved the mix of stakeholders involved in the planning and conversation. However, there have been enough research and "needs assessments" … Continue reading Marsha Hinson on Why Delaware Kids Need Action
Why Susan Bunting as Delaware’s next Secretary of Education will mean progress for kids
A few weeks ago I sounded the alarm about the need for Delaware’s incoming Governor John Carney to stand with students and avoid the “old boys club” in his pick for Secretary of Education. As 2016 drew to a close, Carney selected substance over status quo and nominated Indian River School District (IRSD) Superintendent Dr. … Continue reading Why Susan Bunting as Delaware’s next Secretary of Education will mean progress for kids
Kids Deserve More Than the Good Old Boys’ Club in 2017
Word on the street is that some of Delaware’s most entrenched “good old boys” are being considered for Delaware’s Secretary of Education role. And I know there is a well-connected group of education insiders who would applaud Governor-elect Carney for such a pick. But in 2017, I think Delaware kids and schools deserve more than the … Continue reading Kids Deserve More Than the Good Old Boys’ Club in 2017
Students Need us to Quit “Adulting” and Start Acting
One of my 20-month-old daughter’s quirks is that she does not like getting her hands dirty. If she falls outside, she quickly glances at her hands, and then at her parents, expecting us to dust her off with haste. Her teachers tell us she enjoys painting at school, but not the colorful residue it leaves … Continue reading Students Need us to Quit “Adulting” and Start Acting
The Segregated, Stealthy Spaces of Education Policy
As sure as the campaign signs and billboards will soon be removed across our state, the image of diverse, broad-based support and engagement presented by vote-seeking politicians will be replaced with an all-too-familiar reality: folks are most comfortable doing the business of public policy in segregated, stealthy spaces hand-in-hand with special interest groups. In the … Continue reading The Segregated, Stealthy Spaces of Education Policy
The Kids Who Win the Summer
By Tatiana Poladko and Atnre Alleyne There will be winners and losers this summer. And not just during the Olympic Games. As sure as ice cream trucks will bring joy to neighborhoods this summer, this seemingly-innocuous season brings learning loss and a wider academic gap for a certain set of students. Unbeknownst to many of … Continue reading The Kids Who Win the Summer
An Open Letter to Senator Bryan Townsend (and his colleagues) about HB399
Update (7/1/16): House Bill 399 passed in the legislature early this morning with a few major amendments (and compromises) from Senators Sokola and Townsend that address some of the concerns expressed by stakeholders (see the Parent Advocacy Council for Education's letter, for example) and here on this blog. For example, parent and student surveys will … Continue reading An Open Letter to Senator Bryan Townsend (and his colleagues) about HB399
Why Delaware education is going to miss Christopher Ruszkowski
Christopher Ruszkowski’s six-year tenure at the Department of Education (most recentlyas the Associate Secretary of the Teacher & Leader Effectiveness Branch) came to an end in April. Rumor has it he rode off into the sunset en route to a position as Deputy Secretary in the New Mexico Department of Education. His detractors likely collectively … Continue reading Why Delaware education is going to miss Christopher Ruszkowski
Urgency of Now 