Making community college free has hidden costs

Education is the great equalizer. And a college education is one of the greatest ways to sharpen our unique gifts and talents before entering the workforce. President Joe Biden has proposed offering two years of free community college for any American, but here’s the problem: Making community college “free” guarantees more associates degrees — but it almost certainly won’t translate to a more equitable, high-achieving society. Continue Reading...

A silver lining in the Golden State’s school shutdowns

What happens in California doesn’t tend to stay in California – and that’s usually bad for America. For instance, “55% of all public school students, including those in charter schools, were at home, in distance learning, as of April 30, according to an EdSource analysis of new data released by the state.” Continue Reading...

Equity? New bill could kick minority teachers out of the classroom

Lawmakers in Minnesota, the crucible of last summer’s deadly riots, have made a concerted effort to increase the number of minorities teaching in the public schools. That goal is on a collision course with a bill that would cut off pathways to becoming a teacher and could throw more minority teachers out of work than the state recruits. Continue Reading...

Chicago’s teacher standoff shows the injustice of public-sector unions

At the beginning of the year, Chicago Public Schools were scheduled to reopen by the end of January. Yet just days before the launch, members of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) decided otherwise, with a sizable majority voting to delay in-person learning against the wishes of the mayor, city council, school district, local medical professionals, and countless parents and taxpayers. Continue Reading...

As children thrive at charter schools, progressives threaten their future

The COVID-19 global pandemic has exposed significant fault lines in America’s educational system, testing moral and philosophical commitments among parents, teachers, school administrators, and politicians alike. Punctuated by media battles between teachers’ unions, governors, and the president, one thing has become increasingly clear: America’s public education system is far too vulnerable to the whims of partisanship and far too insulated from the promises of reform. Continue Reading...

Your child’s misery is a price the NEA is willing to pay

The National Education Association has released a new report admitting that virtual schooling has subjected America’s youngest and poorest students to “learning loss,” “social-emotional challenges,” and “trauma.” However, the nation’s largest teachers union implies that schoolchildren’s setbacks should rank below the interests of its 3 million dues-paying members, because kids are “resilient.” Continue Reading...