California’s Idea of a Full School Day Doesn’t Make the Grade

By Skimping on Class Time We’re Failing Our Kids

On many mornings, I think my state senator has the best policy idea in California.

The rest of the time, I think he’s missing the point.

The idea involves the sleep of schoolkids, and the state senator is Anthony Portantino, who represents me and nearly one million other residents of one of California’s nerdiest regions, the San Gabriel Valley.

Portantino has won plaudits for a bill that would require middle and high schools to start the school day later—no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The bill is grounded in research showing that additional …

Why Is It So Hard to Enroll a Kid in Public School?

California Sure Doesn’t Act As If Educational Access Is Central to Civic Life

A wiseacre neighbor walked by the corner where I was standing and shouted, “Is this the line for the U2 tickets?”

Nope. The line, which extended out a brick building for …

The American Educational-Industrial Complex

Why Do We Insist on Running 21st-Century Public Schools Like Factories?

For the past few years, I’ve dedicated many of my nights and weekends to supporting California’s schools as a volunteer and director at two education nonprofits. That experience has solidified …