Today’s mid-week update highlights new tools from Missouri and Oklahoma that allow parents to assess charter school performance. Despite concerns over an online provider’s poor track record, advocates argue that investing in educators leads to academic excellence in challenging environments. Emphasis on data transparency is essential for evaluating educational options and their effectiveness.
This post celebrates Harmony Public Schools’ remarkable growth and impact, framed through a personal story spanning decades. It highlights the transformative power of charter schools, shared learning between teachers and students, and the generational reach of educational opportunity—what the author calls “Harmony Prints” and the broader promise of the charter school movement.
Good morning, CharterFolk Today we are pleased to share a Contributor Column from Dr. Noemi Donoso, who is the CEO of New Schools for Baton Rouge. We provide a brief bio for Noemi below. Dr. Noemi Donoso has transformed educational outcomes for hundreds of thousands of students across five states through three decades of visionary
Good day, CharterFolk. Quite the load of material to keep on top of mid-summer. Last week, Checker Finn issued a response much like my own to Robert Enlow and Michael McShane’s recent piece in Education Next. Meanwhile, Ben Austin keeps pushing Democrats with another great op-ed at The Hill. Favorable reviews of Andy’s and my
This week, we are proud to share the story of the extraordinary Dr. Jake Wilson of Mountain Island Charter School With his laptop, a coffee mug, and a container of candy, Dr. Jake Wilson can be seen most days pushing his office on a cart through the hallways of North Carolina’s Mountain Island Charter School.
Pagee Cheung, co-founder of MESA Charter High Schools, reflects on the urgent need for collaboration between K-12 and higher education systems to enhance student success. As she transitions to the College Persistence Coalition, she emphasizes building meaningful pathways and equitable solutions to address systemic inequities and improve college persistence for all students.
Good day, CharterFolk. Thanks to several of you for sending in kind notes about Andy’s and my discussion with Steven Wilson. It was a discussion that brought up many themes we will be returning to here in future posts. I’m also resurfacing our CharterFolk X post about Julie Jackson, which some of you may have
This week, we are proud to profile Julie Jackson, the extraordinary Co-Chief Executive Officer of Uncommon Schools. “How can you lead a school at the highest level when you’re not a strong teacher?” For Julie Jackson, the answer is clear: You can’t. That belief has become foundational to how she grew her career and how
The latest WonkyFolk podcast features Steven Wilson, author of “The Lost Decade,” discussing the charter school movement’s decline, shifts towards social justice, and the gap between parental desires and reformers’ agendas. Key themes include accountability erosion, ideological conformity, and the need for institutional memory, highlighting pathways for future improvement.
The author compares housing and education NIMBYism, highlighting progress in housing while education remains stagnant. Although California is addressing its housing crisis, education scarcity persists, particularly in New York City. Mayor-in-waiting Mamdani opposes charter schools, driving families to seek better opportunities in states like Florida, emphasizing the urgent need for educational reforms.