Opinion
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Well-Informed Parents Are Essential in the K–12 Education Marketplace
Opinion -Considerable anecdotal and statistical information suggests the parents of K-12 schoolchildren in the United States are generally unaware of the performance levels of schools in their communities. -
Michigan Union Officials Inflate School Pensions
Opinion -Three past presidents of Michigan’s largest teachers union inflated their public school pensions by exploiting a legal loophole that allows them to count their six-figure, private sector positions working for the Michigan Education Association (MEA) as -
California Judge Rules in Favor of Families in Parent Trigger Case
Opinion -An Orange County, California Superior Court judge ruled Palm Lane Elementary School could become a charter school after the court validated a petition parents filed under the state’s parent trigger law. -
California Districts Sued for Dismissing Test Scores from Teacher Evaluations
Opinion -School districts in California are violating state law by ignoring student test scores when evaluating teachers, according to a lawsuit filed in July on behalf of two teachers and four parents of former and current students by Students Matter. -
Five Reasons Teachers Unions Must Change
Opinion -A hundred years ago, teachers first formed unions in the United States. At that time, too many teachers lost their jobs for reasons such as an unplanned pregnancy or gaining too much weight. Wages and working conditions often were substandard. -
PARCC Consortium Shrinks to Just Seven States
Opinion -The number of states participating in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Common Core-aligned testing consortium has fallen from 26 plus Washington, DC in 2010 to just seven states and Washington, DC today, -
Ohio Bill Would Give Local Districts Control Over Standardized Tests
Opinion -Ohio school districts might enjoy increased local control if House Bill 212, the Local Authority Restoration Act (LARA), passes into law during the state’s current legislative session. -
Senate Passes No Child Left Behind Reauthorization
Opinion -The U.S. Senate approved a bill that would replace the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the controversial education law Republicans and Democrats have heavily criticized. Sen. -
Pernicious Egalitarianism Shrinks 8th Grade Algebra Programs
Opinion -The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) decided recently to eliminate first-year algebra for 8th graders. Algebra will now be offered only in high school. -
North Carolina Voucher Program Upheld, Expected to Expand
Opinion -The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled the state’s Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) is constitutional on July 23, reversing a ruling by Wake County Superior Court. -
New Orleans Parents Call for More Choice
Opinion -New Orleans parents say school choice has improved their children’s educational opportunities in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but they are still pushing for greater reform and more school choice options. -
Pasco Teachers Union Threatens Illegal Strike: Five Things Every Parent Should Know
Opinion -Just weeks after the legislature approved one of the largest increases in K-12 public education spending in state history, union executives in the Pasco School District are demanding an 11% pay raise or they’ll recommend teachers strike against children -
How Important Is Homework for Student Achievement?
Opinion -Once a child is enrolled in school, the time for homework starts. Sending children home from school with homework is a long tradition that has come under criticism by some psychologists and writers as being a form of punishment. -
Record Donations to Scholarship Programs Boost School Choice in Arizona
Opinion -Two Arizona tax credit scholarship programs reached their funding cap limits within a week of each other in early July. The programs expand school choice for Arizona children who may not otherwise have the opportunity to attend private schools. -
School Choice is Liberty’s Last Best Hope
Opinion -Although we often hear about distinctive American features such as apple pie, baseball, and freedom of speech, the single greatest characteristic of the American way is the willingness to provide opportunity for all. -
Putting Children’s Needs First in Schools
Opinion -As any parent knows, every child learns in a way that’s tailored to his or her personality. That’s a fundamental reason all parents should have the right to choose the education of their child. -
Despite Problems, Mississippi Education Savings Accounts Show Promise
Opinion -An innovative new education law in Mississippi expands school choice options for parents of special-needs students. -
North Carolina Choice Program Expected to Double Following Court Ruling
Opinion -Following the recent legal victory for school choice in North Carolina, the number of children likely to utilize the state’s Opportunity Scholarship Program could more than double. -
Number of Homeschoolers Increases Nationally
Opinion -Parents choosing to home school their kids remain part of a growing movement across the country. -
Critics Speak Out About AP U.S. History Framework Changes
Opinion -The College Board, a nonprofit company responsible for high school Advanced Placement (AP) classes across the country, is taking heat from both sides of the political aisle over revisions to AP U.S. history standards. -
Study: Common Core Violates Federal Law
Opinion -A new research paper by the Pioneer Institute, a free-market think tank based in Massachusetts, says Common Core standards along with two testing consortia responsible for administering tests aligned with the standards are in violation of federal laws. -
New Jersey Continues to Pay Teachers Without Permanent Jobs
Opinion -The city of Newark, NJ is experiencing a growing number of teachers not assigned to a permanent location, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. -
Douglas County School-Choice Decision Highlights Need to Re-Examine Blaine Amendments
Opinion -The recent Colorado court decision to stop a school-choice pilot program is more disappointing than shocking. -
North Carolina Supreme Court Rules Vouchers Constitutional
Opinion -The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled the state’s Opportunity Scholarship Program is constitutional today. The decision reverses a ruling by Wake County Superior Court and leaves the program intact.
