Sparking the evolution of education choice
Christy Kian’s phone rang in early March when the number of COVID-19 cases had just started climbing. The parent of two students whom Kian had taught at a Broward County private school wasn’t satisfied with distance learning. Anticipating that brick-and-mortar schools might not be able to reopen safely in the[Read More…]
“If you care about children, parents, and communities, you can’t vote for Bernie Sanders. He’s the teachers’ union candidate.” This is the message educational opportunity activist (and CEO of Education Post) Chris Stewart posted on Twitter over the weekend. Too many parrot this type of argument, and it’s hurting our[Read More…]
Florida frequently is viewed as a model for the school choice movement, especially when it comes to parent advocacy. So why is it so hard for other states to replicate the Sunshine State’s methods? This is the question I’m pondering as I reflect on a recent parent organizer training in[Read More…]
MIAMI – “Guys! Choo-choo formation!” At Ana Garcia’s command, a loose knot of people near the turnstiles at Zoo Miami – three adults, five kids – lined up, put their hands on the back shoulders of the person in front of them, and merged into something less locomotive than caterpillar.[Read More…]
Late last month, the Black Alliance for Educational Options announced Ken Campbell will step down after five years as president of the organization, where he has served in various leadership roles since its founding. Jacqueline Cooper, BAEO’s chief of staff, will be filling in as president while the organization prepares a national search for a new leader. In[Read More…]
The tragedies that drew thousands of people into the streets in cities around the country this past weekend have also prompted soul-searching in the education reform movement. If our goal is to respond to the educational needs of disadvantaged communities, can we ignore the other injustices in their lives? How[Read More…]
Charter Schools USA is one of the nation’s largest for-profit charter school management companies, with 58 schools in seven states. But the Florida-based organization also has a charitable arm that’s helping a hardscrabble private school in Haiti. The Giving Tree Foundation has pledged to raise $250,000 to build a new[Read More…]
Nearly two decades ago, Sacred Heart Catholic School in Pinellas Park, Fla. was on the “death watch list,’’ said Bishop Robert Lynch of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Families struggled to afford private school tuition, enrollment dwindled and tough decisions loomed for school leaders. But instead of closing the school,[Read More…]
