Public education in DC & elsewhere

Debates are raging about the purpose and value of a college education. A large part of the problem is that we’re expecting colleges to make up for deficiencies in our kindergarten-through-12th-grade system. To continue reading my post on Forbes.com, click here. … [Read more...]

There’s been a lot of concern about phonics instruction in recent months, sparked by an illuminating new audio documentary. But there’s another aspect of reading—comprehension—that is equally crucial, and teacher training in that area is even more problematic. Continue reading the rest of my post on Forbes.com by clicking here. … [Read more...]

Striking teachers in Los Angeles are complaining about the number of students in their classes, which can go as high as 46. While many teachers and parents see benefits in smaller classes, they’re costly, and the evidence they boost achievement is slim. Continue reading the rest of my post at Forbes.com by clicking here. … [Read more...]

Everyone seems to agree we need to focus more on STEM education: science, technology, engineering, and math. But in our rush to prioritize those subjects, we’re overlooking others that are even more important. Continue reading the rest of my post at Forbes.com by clicking here. … [Read more...]

Some schools are eliminating homework, citing research showing it doesn’t do much to boost achievement. But maybe teachers just need to assign a different kind of homework. Continue reading the rest of my post for Forbes.com by clicking here. … [Read more...]

Affluent parents are investing more time and money in their kids’ upbringing than ever before, while others lack the resources to keep up. But there’s a lot more that schools could do to help. To continue reading my post on Forbes.com, click here. … [Read more...]