EDUCATION - Blogs - Independence Institute

Serious Discussion: Common Core Missteps Demand a Smarter Response 0
- October 20, 2014
I’ve discovered a new way to make myself the least popular kid on the playground or at a birthday party. All I have to do is just come running in and say with my outdoor voice, “Hey, who wants to have a serious discussion about Common Core?” Rolling eyes. Blank stares. Condescending sneers. Befuddled head-shaking. […]
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The Unfair Retirement PERA-chute: New Group Pushes for Pension Reform 0
- October 17, 2014
Happy Friday, readers. I know we’ll all be starting our weekends in a few hours, but I think there’s time to squeeze in just a little more education policy before then. Today’s topic: reform efforts centered on Colorado’s Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA). I’ve written about PERA and some of its pitfalls before, but let’s […]
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New Florida Video Sounds the Call for Return of the School Choice Jedi 0
- October 16, 2014
A little over a month ago I pointed out how the Empire is striking back through the courts against successful school choice programs that help students and satisfy parents. The main front in the attack is Florida, where the teachers union and school boards association have sued to stop issuing tax credits, a way of […]
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Dangerous Decoration: How Much is Too Much for the Classroom?0
- October 15, 2014
My English classroom has a fish in it. No, not a real fish. A fish sticker. A shiny fish sticker with glittery scales, blue eyes, and an intriguingly amused expression on his (her?) face. Sometimes it feels like the fish sticker is staring at me. Have you ever tried reading or writing with a shiny […]
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Two New Columns Bring Us Back to Reality in Jeffco Public Schools 0
- October 14, 2014
It’s time to cut through the fog. Pieces of misinformation about the Jeffco school board have become so rampant that, even with your low-beams on, you’re bound to run into one or two of them. To deny the concentrated campaign of union field-tested talking points has been effective at increasing the numbers and volume of […]
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News From the Mothership: USDOE’s Response to CO Testing Questions 0
- October 10, 2014
A month ago, I put on my policy explorer cap and attended a Colorado State Board of Education meeting. At that meeting, a panel of CDE employees presented a whole bunch of information on testing in Colorado. More specifically, they went into some depth on the various aspects of local control as they relate to […]
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