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A New Approach to College Readiness
Remarkably, more than half of incoming community college students, and approximately 20% of incoming students at four-year institutions, are academically unprepared when they arrive on campus. And traditional remediation efforts designed to get those students up to speed are failing...
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Infographic: Delivering on the Promise of Education
Here’s a look at what some of the data says about the promise of American education....
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Do the Fundamentals of K-12 Education Still Matter?
So, do the fundamentals still matter? Ruszkowski and Hoffman would agree that the answer is “yes.” But what exactly are the fundamental underpinnings of a strong public education? That is the essence of the conversation that unfolds here....
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Leader Spotlight: Robert Runcie and Hadi Partovi
Robert Runcie leads Broward County Public Schools in Broward County, Florida. Hadi Partovi is founder and CEO of Code.org. Each cares deeply about kids and is fiercely dedicated to making education better. They think Americans want quality education too, but...
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Can One System Prepare Students to be Ready for Both College and Career?
David Coleman and Ryan Craig agree that students are not prepared for whichever comes next....
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Charter Schools are Public Schools, but do They Serve the Public Interest?
This essay pairing features two vocal supporters of charter schools, both of whom strongly believe that the promise of education – especially for at-risk and underserved students – is enhanced by the expansion of public school options. Still, their advocacy...
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A Snapshot: Equity & Opportunity in Rural, Suburban, & Urban America
An estimated 50.7 million students are enrolled in America's public schools, most in cities and suburbs. Not surprisingly, that's where the ideas and energy around reform are centered....
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Do Suburban Hiring Practices Limit Diversity?
In its recent report, “A Leak in the Pipeline,” the Frontline Research & Learning Institute shared some unexpected findings about the relationship between the ways that teacher candidates learn about open positions and the likelihood that school districts will hire...
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Dr. Anthony Carnevale and Roberto Rodriguez Discuss the Proposed Merger of the Department of Education and Department of Labor
We’ve invited Dr. Anthony Carnevale and Roberto Rodriguez to talk through a very big idea — the administration’s proposed merger of the Departments of Education and Labor...
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Leader Spotlight with Mandy Manning, Jorge A. Aguilar and John White
Whether it’s called an equity gap, achievement gap or opportunity gap, these education leaders clearly have nuanced views about what is required to re-focus and improve public education in America, but they share an optimism that we have the power...
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Winners & Choosers
Retired two-time NBA world champion M.L. Carr gives his perspective on current civil rights issues. Carr played for the Detroit Pistons then the Boston Celtics, where he also coached. We learned his point of view has been shaped by a...
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Walking the Line with Andre Spencer and Ana Ponce
Most education leaders pledge their steadfast dedication to addressing the needs of all students. But what does that commitment look like when it means refusing to allow citizenship status or socioeconomics get in the way? These are part of everyday...
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Last Word on Liberty
Throughout our national history, the ideal of democracy has been a touchstone of what we mean when we talk about what makes America different and special. We point to a Constitution whose clarity about individual freedoms and civil rights is...
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Crossing the Line: Exploring Equity in Special Education Across the United States
The goal of the Frontline Research & Learning Institute "Crossing the Line" series is to provide actionable insights that provoke discussions about how states and local districts equitably address special education....
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Voices: with Sydnee Dickson and Karla Estrada
How do we balance the rights of individual students with those of the larger school community? We asked the same questions of two education leaders. Here is what they told us....
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Union Fate (Janus vs. AFSCME)
In February, the Supreme Court of the United States heard arguments in a case entitled Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, concerning a public sector employee who is opposed to paying agency fees or “fair share” to the union responsible for...
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“Wait, what? and Life’s Other Essential Questions”
A review by // Will Austin, Founder & CEO, Boston Schools Fund Will Austin is the founder and CEO of the Boston Schools Fund, an organization that supports and funds the growth of high-quality, high-demand schools of all types. The...
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Empowering Families Through Educational Freedom
Ensuring the American Dream does not become an American myth is as great a challenge as any we face today. Various pundits have their reasons for how we got here, but there remains one solution without which all others will...
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Last Word on School Choice
Upon reading every article and written contribution to this issue, I am struck by one thing: not one contributor was humiliated, castigated, threatened, demonized, fired, ostracized or denigrated for their position or opinion. None of our respected contributors used inflammatory...
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Do More Choices Mean Better Choices?
Featuring // Tom Boasberg, Superintendent, Denver Public Schools / Bruce Fuller, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Education When discussing which “choice” of K–12 education options is best, most objective professionals would say that the “jury is still...
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Talent Acquisition in a Teacher Economy Squeezed by Shortages and School Choice
By Alison Coker, Executive Director, Human Resources, Guilford County Schools, North Carolina; Dale Fisher, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, Deerfield Public Schools District 109, Illinois; Jo Ann Hanrahan, Director, Research & Data Analysis, Frontline Education...
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Bridging The Gap
T he public discourse surrounding professional learning has, for many years, been characterized by a combination of disgust and paralysis. Educators, the narrative goes, are subject to “development” experiences that are high in neither quality nor relevance. And those rare...
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John Deasy and Tim Clifford Appear on Wharton Business Radio
Editor-in-Chief of The Line John Deasy and Frontline Education President & CEO Tim Clifford join “Leadership in Action” host Anne Greenhalgh to discuss civil discourse in education. Originally aired on Sirius XM Channel 111, Business Radio Powered by The Wharton...
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Q&A with Editorial Advisory Board Member Charlotte Danielson
Meet The Line Editorial Advisory Board The Line is proud to have an exceptionally talented group of education leaders serve as advisors to the publication. We have brought together 19 editorial advisory board members – some of the brightest superintendents...
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A Letter from the Editor
This publication, an initiative of the Frontline Research & Learning Institute, is neither left, right nor center. Instead, it stands dedicated to the proposition that sharing knowledge, research and engaging in debate begets best practices and policy development that shapes...
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Common Ground on School Funding
In a time when American society seems more polarized than at any time in the recent past, the question of equitable funding for K-12 education — or the very definition of the word “equitable” — is often a matter for...
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Walking the Line with Kaya Henderson
On October 1, 2016, Kaya Henderson stepped down from six years as chancellor of District of Columbia Public Schools. Shortly after her resignation, The Line Editor-in-Chief John E. Deasy sat down with Henderson to talk about the reforms she led...
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Civil Discourse in Action
Not terribly long ago, letter-writing was a cornerstone of our communication. It was a genre that nurtured the expression of our politest selves, cherished word choice and paid careful attention to tone. So here, The Line turns to letter-writing to...
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The Genesis of The Line
Dear Readers, It may seem odd that a technology company that espouses efficiency and effectiveness has taken up the cause of civil discourse. But The Line speaks to what we believe in wholly — that conversation and exchange of ideas...
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Last Word: Why Civil Discourse
Among the most guiding and editorial principles of The Line is to model, promote and engage in civil discourse. One might be tempted to wonder, “Why the need for this type of communication?” The recent national election and the campaigning...
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A Letter To the 45th President
Many aspects of our national conversation on education have become politicized. Yet while we may dispute the best means to the end, education leaders across the country passionately agree that every child deserves a high-quality education. As a new president...
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