There’s Only One Entity Ruthless Enough to Reopen All California Schools

The State Faces a Choice: Outsource School Reopenings or Watch Schools Crumble

Many Californians say schools need to re-open now. But no one has had the guts to open all schools, and all grades, and actually send all kids back to class.

That’s why our current conversation about reopening public schools, after a year of COVID closures, is beside the point. So-called grownups are talking about when we might reopen, or the conditions under which we might restart certain schools or certain grades. But we never really answer the question of who—amid all the fear and politics—will pry open the schoolhouse door …

Why California Should Close Failing School Districts | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

Why California Should Close Failing School Districts

Southern San Diego County’s Sweetwater District Cannot Escape Mismanagement and Corruption on Its Own

School has begun again for the 40,000-plus students of Sweetwater Union High School District. But the district’s governance crisis never seems to end.

Sweetwater rarely makes the statewide news, but …

California’s Bad Bet on School Finance Leaves Too Much to Chance

It’s the Already-Fortunate Who Are Most Likely to Luck Out in the State’s Public Education System

Californians may think we have a system of public education. But what we really have is a state system for rationing public education.

I got a personal taste of this …

What’s a School District Like Without a Teachers’ Union?

Paying Dues Isn’t the Only Way for Educators to Get Organized

What would a California school district be like if it jettisoned its teachers’ union?

Up until recently, that question has been mostly hypothetical. For some, it’s a fantasy: Conservative education reformers …