This article claims there are 15 definable reasons why public education is in decline in the USA. Do you agree (we don't believe this is an accurate list but it's a place to start. Here's a link to the original article: 15 Failures of U.S. Public Education in 2025 Introduction American public education is at a crossroads. Once hailed as a global standard, the system today faces deep, structural problems that undermine its ability to deliver on its promise of equity and opportunity. From worsening academic performance to chronic underfunding, the failures of the American public education system are not isolated issues but interconnected challenges. In 2025, the stakes have never been … [Read more...]
Students and teachers deserve better: should Congress reform the NEA federal charter?
Today's article comes to us from The Mountain State Policy Center Most Americans are unaware that the National Education Association (NEA) — the nation’s largest teachers’ union — enjoys a rare privilege: a federal charter granted by Congress in 1906. That puts the NEA in the same elite company as storied civic institutions like the American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America, and the U.S. Olympic Committee. But while those organizations are rightly seen as broadly patriotic and educational in purpose, the NEA has morphed into something entirely different. Rather than promoting the “character and interests of the profession of teaching” and the “cause of education in the … [Read more...]
Comparison of Private and Public Schools
From an article at Thought Co written by Robert Kennedy. For those of you considering private vs. public schools his take on some of the differences. You may be considering whether private or public schools are better options for an obtaining an education. Many families want to know more about the differences and similarities between them. Learning about what private and public schools offer can help students and parents make an educated choice. What's Taught Public schools must adhere to state standards regarding what to teach and how to present it. Certain subjects, such as religion, are taboo. Rulings in many court cases over the years have determined the scope and limits of the … [Read more...]
Comparison of Private and Public Schools
From an article at ThoughtCo written by Robert Kennedy an interesting look at the pros and cons of private vs. public schools. It's important to note that there are religious private and for-profit private which have vastly different costs. Religious private have dramatically lower costs in most cases. Let's see what M. Kennedy has to say... You may be considering whether private or public schools are better options for an obtaining an education. Many families want to know more about the differences and similarities between them. Learning about what private and public schools offer can help students and parents make an educated choice. What's Taught Public schools must adhere to … [Read more...]
When Testing Takes Over – When is it too much testing?
Testing has changed over the years. We've moved from teachers giving tests in class rooms to multiple layers of testing. Why? In the name of accountability and money. Companies who sell testing services then sell curriculum to help assure that students and schools and districts and states score well. Students are the ammunition needed to allow the testing machine to function. In an article at Harvard.edu Bari Walsh digs into the testing environment and shares his research on what's working and what's not. Every parent should spend time understanding the testing environment and then making their (your) voice(s) heard. Here's the article for your reading pleasure. Daniel Koretz has … [Read more...]
ESSA – Stop John King’s Test and Punish Regulations
From The Network for Public Education - by Carol Burris Editorial Comment - John King replaced Arnie Duncan and was appointed by Barack Obama in early 2016. Mr. King is a strong proponent of the ESSA (which replaced NCLB - No Child Left Behind). Mr. King claims the ESSA will give more local control to States and districts. He touts the abilities of parents to Opt-Out of the PARCC/SBAC high stakes testing. He claims a lighter hand. Now, read the article below and judge for yourself and then ACT. We urge you to take a stand against the proposed regulations drafted by U.S. Secretary of Education John King for implementing the accountability provisions of the Every Student Succeeds … [Read more...]
No, You Cannot Test My Child
From a private blog site: Daniel Katz, PhD ........... Dear Local Education Authority (LEA), State Education Authority (SEA), and Federal Education Bureaucrat (FEB?), We are rapidly approaching the annual state mandated testing ritual in public school, and it has become evident that all of you are a little nervous about that. I know this because you keep sending letters to each other about how important it is that every LEA test 95% of all children in every school and that every SEA make certain that LEAs know just how important this is. Last Fall, FEB Ann Whalen sent a dozen SEAs letters explaining to them just how important it is that they meet their testing requirements … [Read more...]