One of the more interesting 2016 previews you’ll read: Dmitri Mehlhorn on 2016 being the year of education law.  In another interesting one Sara Mead says it could be a big year for -pre-K.

PPI on Summit Public  Schools. Rural ed. President Obama’s domestic policy legacy (includes education).  Admissions preferences for low-income students (pdf). New Walton Family Foundation plan. Dynarski with student loan fix ideas.

Is Powerball a windfall for schools? Not as much as you might think and depends where you live.

Friedrichs being argued today at the Supreme Court. SCOTUSblog previews here. Dan Chamberlin of TNTP urges the unions to get out of the bargaining business. LA Times sides with the unions. Washington Post sees big problems but says it’s a political not constitutional question. Does this case put our democracy at risk? Seems overwrought and romantic given the operational realities. My take on the case and possible implications here.  Update: Transcript from the argument here (pdf).

The complicated intersection of medical marijuana and schools. “This is a situation in which the changing social norms are ahead of the existing operational structure.” Is there really any issue in public education you can’t say that about?

Blogger gets results: New hard-hitting Newark blog about schools – the mayor responds by video.

Missed this good list of advocacy films.  Here’s another look at the Louisiana voucher data.  The ethics of choosing a school.  And the time honored tradition of celebrating “success” and a lack of acrimony that most education leaders would not allow their own children to participate in. Slow and steady, good enough for other people’s kids!

Add the principals union to the list of critics of how schools are being run in New York.

David Bowie writes a young fan.  Bulbous beer glasses.