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Is this the last dance? LA's anti-charter board votes to close popular school
The Los Angeles school board is trying to close a successful, dance-enriched charter to free space for a low-performing district school with declining enrollment.

Joanne Jacobs
2 days ago2 min read
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Is Alpha School the future?
Will San Francisco parents pay $75,000 a year for Alpha's tech-accelerated school?

Joanne Jacobs
Oct 12 min read
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To win back public-school parents, be like Mississippi
Education reforms are working in the South, and they can work in blue states too, if there's political leadership.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 263 min read
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Where are they now? Urban public schools see steep fall in enrollment
One third of students in mostly black districts aren't enrolled in traditional public schools.

Joanne Jacobs
Sep 252 min read
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NOLA's post-Katrina reforms are working
New Orleans schools have improved dramatically since Katrina forced radical changes 20 years ago. That means going from "F" to "C."

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 293 min read
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Teaching 'Mockingbird' on the education frontier
Christian microschools are booming in Arizona, as parents use ESAs to fund the school of their choice. Chandler Fritz taught a summer reading class.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 223 min read
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13% give public schools an A/B grade
As Americans lose confidence in public schools, a majority of parents say they'd send their kids to private schools, if they got help paying the cost.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 211 min read
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School safety is top reason parents use choice to leave public schools
Bullying is the primary reason parents use choice programs to flee public schools.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 182 min read
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No more 'F' schools in Houston: Mike Miles takes a victory lap
After two years of Superintendent Mike Miles' reforms, 74 percent of Houston students are in A/B schools and zero are in "F" schools.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 71 min read
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What do parents want? Public schools are competing for students
Public schools don't have a monopoly any more. Parents are using taxpayer-funded school choice to find alternatives.

Joanne Jacobs
Aug 63 min read
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Homeschool keeps growing -- and becoming more diverse
Homeschooling has attracted a broader mix of parents.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 111 min read
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States spent more, kids learned less: Will choice revive education?
Politics undercut turn-of-the-century education reforms, but new choice programs could make a difference.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 102 min read
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You say you want a revolution: NEA votes to call Trump a 'fascist'
The National Education Association will fight for DEI and the U.S. Education Department, and vows to use "fascist" to describe President Trump.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 82 min read
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Let educational freedom ring: Voucher families are buying a la carte classes
Choice scholarships let parents pay for a la carte classes, rewarding schools that serve their needs.

Joanne Jacobs
Jul 32 min read
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Public schools must be neutral on politics (and religion)
Public schools must work to regain public trust by focusing on academics, not politics.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 282 min read
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Most Americans favor school prayer
As Texas requires public schools to post the Ten Commandments, 57% of Americans support teacher-led prayer in schools; half favor Christian prayers.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 272 min read
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Microschools are growing
Microschools are booming as parents seek a middle ground between homeschooling and traditional schooling.

Joanne Jacobs
Jun 93 min read
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Religious charters are out -- for now -- but choice is expanding
Charter advocates are happy the U.S. Supreme Court didn't rule that charters are private schools.

Joanne Jacobs
May 232 min read
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'Dismantling oppression' meant destroying effective schools
"No excuses" charters were closing achievement gaps, until "equity" crusaders persuaded them to lower academic and behavioral expectations.

Joanne Jacobs
May 212 min read
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EdChoice vouchers boost college-going and degrees -- but not test scores
Ohio's EdChoice vouchers are under legal attack: A new study says they help disadvantaged students.

Joanne Jacobs
May 92 min read
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