The way this Dennis Hastert indictment is written strongly hints at a dark education angle to it.
Chad Aldeman on high school graduation rates going up. Even discounting for some graduation scams bumping numbers something positive is happening here.
Have been meaning to note the elections last week in California – LAUSD school board and state legislative special. Normally the teachers unions should have run the table – off-cycle elections are favorable for them. But they didn’t. Why? I think three reasons. First, candidate recruitment. Ref Rodriguez, for instance, was a great fit politically and a good candidate. Second, ground game. There was a serious canvas on behalf of reform candidates (SFER deserves some credit here) that matters especially when coupled with high-quality voter data. Money matters in politics but so do committed people on the ground. Third, coordination. The reform side worked together smartly to coordinate efforts, including money. That paid off. Good news for reformers: Those things can all be repeated. Good news for the teachers unions: It’s a real challenge to do so.
Richard Whitmire on New Orleans education and a new normal there:
When schools reopen in New Orleans later this summer, you can expect a steady flow of reporters to document the 10th anniversary of the post-Katrina transformation of schools here. Roughly 95 percent of students here attend charters. Regardless of how you feel about charters, that’s stunning…
Re the fish pics in the item below, here’s three easy steps to get outside and take a kid fishing.
Peter Wehner on confirmation bias.