The US Is Falling Way Behind in STEM But Kentucky’s Powering the Comeback

Maybe you’re already aware, but the United States isn’t exactly globally competitive in science education. As of 2015, we ranked 24th out of 71 countries i

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My New Bowflex Helped Me Realize That Politicians Won’t Stand Up for Kids Unless We Make Them

Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo delivered her State of the State address earlier this week. She is beginning the final year of her first term. Her address

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Teachers Are More Supportive of Education Reform Than You Think

I’m a science teacher, so it’s in my nature to be curious about how and why things work the way they do. Since I’ve been on an education-reform kick lately

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Education Is a Civil Rights Issue. Sorry, Not Sorry.

I’m just going to go ahead and say it: School reform is a civil rights issue, and it’s one that I can’t be moderate about. Sorry, not sorry. I’m referring

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Are Montessori Schools a Better Approach for Teaching Low-Income Children?

Is the Montessori method of schooling better for low-income children? A new study that looks at Montessori preschool students by University of Virginia psy

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True Confession: I Care About My Students’ Test Score. You Should Too.

I care about my students’ test scores. That sentiment is a bit taboo nowadays, especially in “progressive” and “liberal” circles, where I run. But it’s the

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Could This Teacher and Leadership Program Be Part of the ‘Secret Sauce’ for Chicago Schools?

In most urban school districts, “turnaround” is a dirty word. Turnaround schools are first identified as failing and left to languish for some time in obsc

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For This Chicago Public Schools Graduate, It’s the Teachers Who Made the Difference

This morning, academics and civic leaders gathered in Chicago to dig in on research that shows Chicago’s public schools have done a remarkable job of incre

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You Might Need to Check Your Assumptions on Teacher Turnover

Too often in education, policy wonks and researchers (like me) talk about an issue in ways that bear little resemblance to the way it plays out on the grou

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