Closing the void at the core of public education

As schools reopen, it is less clear than ever what public education is for. States and districts resist testing students to see what they know now, and many won’t judge schools on whether anyone learns. National assessments are on hold, and traditional elements of the curriculum—and even grading—are under assault as supporting white supremacy. Yes, […]

Has the number of homeschoolers doubled? Or are the lines blurring?

One Saturday morning a few years ago, I was walking through an outdoor market in downtown St. Petersburg, Fla., where I lived at the time, when something piqued my professional curiosity.  A group of homeschool students were showing off art projects. I was trying to get a better feel for the various homeschool cooperatives that […]

Families delivered innovative solutions to pandemic-fueled education disruptions. Policymakers should support them to do so again

After an optimistic summer, Delta’s rise and an escalating public health situation has crushed many people’s hope for a quiet, even “normal” school year. Families worried about the risks presented by COVID-19 are increasingly stuck between a rock and a hard place: accept the risks that come with in-person instruction—often with inadequate mitigation measures—or face […]

New England Profiles of Innovation | Nokomis Regional High School

This profile of Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine details the school’s practices that have made it successful, how they have adapted in the fact of the pandemic, and how other school communities can begin conversations about creating flexible pathways for students to design components of their own high school experience.

Division or détente?

Divisions about mask and vaccine mandates, in-person vs. remote learning, student discipline, and racism and anti-racism in the curriculum will make it difficult for schools to serve anyone well this year. In some localities, district and school leaders face a multi-dimensional catch-22, as any move they make is sure to outrage some group of parents, […]

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