Time and time again, I’ve heard educators say that the lack of parental engagement in their schools is what is holding them back. But, when I listen to families, in Philly or Chicago or any other urban city, I hear about the...
Tag - Accountability
New York Times columnist David Brooks recently penned an op-ed on the importance of excellent principals. Among his chief assertions is the notion that great principals are the key driver of school improvement:...
Zachary Wright shares his reflection on some of the silly conversations that occur about governance. His original blog can be found on Education Post. Politics makes strange bedfellows. As a liberal who is theoretically...
By last December, the fall of my ninth year of teaching high school, I had been observed by teacher coaches, visitors from educational non-profit organizations, principals and assistant principals, no fewer than 15 times. Each...
This blog was originally written by Joshua Starr, CEO of PDK International, and published on Chalkbeat. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Sharif El-Mekki, the principal of a Mastery Charter School campus in...
Being in urban education is hard work. Some might say that being an education leader in an urban environment is even harder work. To further emphasize this reality, the Hechinger Report highlights the locus of responsibility...
Last month, my friend, Erika Sanzi, wrote a piece on her blog Good School Hunting. She raises several great points. I’ve re-posted it below. Some kids are uncomfortable with reading To Kill a Mockingbird down in Biloxi...
As members of Philadelphia’s business, academic, labor, and advocacy communities, we are regularly reminded that our city’s success is dependent upon the success of our public schools. Troublingly, the School District of...
For too long, we’ve pointed fingers at each other…again and again, we’ve told the people of Philadelphia that the state of their schools are someone else’s responsibility. -Mayor Kenney Last week, Mayor Kenney, in a...
In his meticulously researched book, “The Education of Blacks in the South 1860-1935,” James D. Anderson reminds us of a story that highlights a now famous quote. “Tell them we are rising.” When Richard Wright, one of the...