Apathy, Confusion, and Survey Data: What the Numbers Really Tell Us
I was going to write about an interesting article I read on ADHD, school choice, and blended learning today, but then I was distracted by a very interesting blog post on Americans’ understanding of education policy—or lack thereof. The irony of being distracted from writing about and ADHD article is not lost on me, but […]
Tools of Choice: Dougco’s Press for Informed Parental Decisions
Making choices is tough. Would Spiderman or Batman win in a fight? Should I have ice cream for dessert, or should I have ice cream and candy for dessert? What should I do with my finger after picking my nose? Should I ask for a smaller present on both my birthday and Christmas, or should […]
Silly Season Won’t Last, So Find Out Candidate Stances on Key K-12 Issues
Oh, it’s the silliest, silliest season of the year. How do I know? My grandpa muttering under his breath when one more irritating political ad interrupts his otherwise enjoyable viewing of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. And the other night my mom crumpling up the latest campaign attack flier that came in our mailbox and […]
New Florida Video Sounds the Call for Return of the School Choice Jedi
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 […]
Education Reform Times May Be A-Changin’, But Not for All
A long time ago, during an era known as “The Sixties,” there was a popular song called “The Times They Are a-Changin’”. Or so my Grandpa tells me. Apparently, it’s a sort of iconic piece about all the upheaval that was starting during this distant past. I have to say it’s a catchy tune, too. […]
Power to the Parents: Colorado Comes in 12th in CER Report
Today, the battle continues in Jeffco following the school board’s very reasonable vote on the curriculum review controversy. But we’ve talked about Jeffco a lot recently, so I think it’s time to look at something a little more uplifting. And what could be more uplifting than empowering K-12 parents to make good decisions about their children’s […]
School Choice Programs Save a Ton of Money: Where Could It All Go?
I talk to you a lot about how expanding access to more schools through choice programs could help Colorado Kids Win. But the truth is that these choice programs also have another benefit: they help save money for the states that adopt them. What does that mean? More dollars left over for each student who […]
Empire Strikes Back against School Choice in Courts; Don’t Give Up!
A couple days ago I tossed out a Star Trek reference. Today, it’s going to be a Star Wars metaphor. I hope this doesn’t cause any sort of Sci-Fi universe catastrophes, including but not limited to wormholes, disturbances in the Force, or ripples in the space-time continuum. All that setup to talk about the Empire […]
Let’s Take a Smart Ride into a Dynamic Educational Future
My vision of Colorado’s educational future certainly looks humble and limited, though let’s be honest, it isn’t ridiculous. Personally I’m a bigger fan of Transformers, but for some the “future” conjures up pictures of a kind of Star Trek sci-fi world. Maybe not enough to convince them to speak exclusively to their own children in […]
New Hampshire Ruling for Kids & Tax Credits Makes Me Smile Wider
“Good news for educational freedom!” Words that can light up my day, right up there with “Free Legos” and “of course, you can have another scoop of Superman ice cream.” (Sadly, too many kids are left Waiting for Superman… Okay, okay. Enough groaning already.) Specifically, the latest good news comes compliments of the “merry band […]
On 850 KOA, Pam Benigno Directs Parents to School Choice for Kids Site
My mom and dad like to listen to Colorado’s Morning News on AM 850 KOA in Denver. So how excited I was on Thursday to tune into the show and hear the “Your Health / Your Kids” segment with Robbyn Hart. Why? Because she was interviewing my Education Policy Center friend Pam Benigno.
Follow this link […]
I Guess Some People Are Still Offended Parents Can Choose to Homeschool
It’s important to recall from time to time that there are so-called intellectual elitist types out there who are uncomfortable with families exercising an educational choice they don’t agree with. Such appears to be the case with Robin L. West who wrote an article titled “The Harms of Homeschooling” (PDF) for a university publication.
There isn’t […]
