Education News
Reports on education reform, school choice, and classroom policies. The Daily Signal provides conservative commentary and opinion alongside education news.
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- News
Parents, School Board Members Divided on Teaching 1619 Project, Poll Finds
A recent survey conducted for The Heritage Foundation found that some parents and many school board members disagree with the historical perspective advanced by The New York Times’ 1619 Project. The project promotes the notions that the Revolutionary War was fought to preserve slavery and that America’s founding date should be 1619, the year the…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
‘Little Pod Platoons’ Are Education’s Answer to Lockdowns This Fall
The rise of “pandemic pods” over the past two weeks in response to public school shutdowns is a real-time, large-scale demonstration of community responsiveness in a crisis. Pandemic pods are the education version of “little platoons” first mentioned by Edmund Burke. They prove that the “spirit of association”—which Alexis de Tocqueville identified as a defining…Lindsey Burke -
- Opinion
For Our Children’s Sake, Reopen Schools This Fall
President Donald Trump announced at the White House his unequivocal commitment to getting America’s schools back open. “So, what we want to do is, we want to get our schools open,” he said. “We want to get them open quickly, beautifully, in the fall.” When the COVID-19 crisis was just beginning to grip the nation…Star Parker -
- Opinion
South Carolina Gives Parents Confidence About School This Fall
The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in months of uncertainty for families with children in K-12 schools, but South Carolina officials on Monday made one thing clear: The state’s families will have more options this academic year. Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, announced creation of a private school scholarship program for students from low- and middle-income…Jonathan Butcher -
- Opinion
Dismantling Student Loan Program Best Path to Fight ‘Leftist Indoctrination’ on Campus
Americans should demand better from their universities. Recent riots and vandalism taking place across the country have caused many to scrutinize what students are being taught in colleges. That scrutiny has even reached the White House. President Donald Trump tweeted out a possible answer July 10 to the growing tensions and illiberal civic education in…Mary Clare Amselem -
- Opinion
More Than 20 Countries Are Reopening Schools. The US Should Take Note.
In March, school shutdowns around the globe caused 1.5 billion children to begin schooling from home, representing over 91% of children, UNESCO estimates. Here in the U.S., conversations about the state of school reopenings have hit a fever pitch as August quickly approaches. Many parents—some 71% in Education Next’s 2020 poll—feel their children learned less…Lindsey Burke -
- Opinion
Reopening Schools Doesn’t Require National Consensus
Parents looking for a national consensus on whether schools should open in the fall won’t find one. But that’s OK. We don’t need one. As soon as President Donald Trump announced his support for reopening schools this fall, teacher unions said he was “brazenly making these decisions.” So much for consensus. And this despite the fact that both proclamations…Jonathan Butcher -
- Opinion
Why In-Person Schooling Would Be One of the Safest Activities to Reopen
Most students around the country haven’t been to school since March, when large parts of the country began to lock down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the data increasingly suggests that reopening schools entails the least risks and should be a goal of every level of government. The early hope was that the…Kevin Pham -
- News
Good Reasons Exist to Reopen Schools, Fauci Says
Dr. Anthony Fauci, who directs the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a radio interview that going back to school during the coronavirus pandemic may be a good idea for children. “If you keep children out of school, the unintended negative ripple-effect consequences can be profound with regard to what the parents…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
Taxpayers Need to Hold Public Schools Accountable
School districts around the country have been announcing reopening possibilities for the upcoming school year. The options often include full-time virtual learning, two or three in-person days at school, or a combination of the two. In a few districts, I’ve seen four or five suggestions. Public schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, one of the wealthiest…Nicole Russell -
- Opinion
Charter Schools and Their Enemies
Thomas Sowell has just published “Charter Schools and Their Enemies.” He presents actual test scores of students in traditional public schools and charter schools on New York State Education Department’s annual English Language Arts test and its mathematics test. Sowell gives the results of student tests in charter schools such as KIPP, Success Academy, Explore…Walter E. Williams -
- Opinion
Getting Students Back on Track After School Shutdowns
One size does not fit all when it comes to education. The COVID-19 pandemic has made this education choice adage crystal clear. With schools shuttered nationwide since mid-March, millions of children became instant homeschoolers. For some students, like Veronique Mintz, remote learning was more effective than classroom experiences. Fewer disruptions from other students, dedicated office…Jude Schwalbach -
- Opinion
Why We Must Advocate for Better Civics Education in Our Schools
The sharp decline in civic knowledge among America’s youth is a growing concern. The violent turmoil of recent weeks, including the destruction of statues and memorials, has made it an urgent issue. Justice can only be achieved if America remains a nation governed by the rule of law, committed to the founding belief that all…Katharine Gorka -
- Opinion
Supreme Court Hands Huge Victory to Families on School Choice
In a 5-4 decision Tuesday, the Supreme Court held that families have a right to seek the best educational opportunities for their children, by preventing states from blocking the participation of religiously affiliated schools in state school choice programs. In Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, the court ruled that the application of a “no-aid”…Lindsey Burke -
- Opinion
How Leftists’ Critical Race Theory Poisons Our Discussion of Racism
I recently revived my Instagram account in an attempt to kill time during the COVID-19 lockdown. Until three weeks ago, my Instagram feed was filled with cooking photos, quarantine home projects, and the occasional funny meme. But shortly after George Floyd’s horrifying May 25 killing, my Instagram feed changed course and was filled with commentary…Ellie Krasne-Cohen -
- Opinion
The Fight to Save Title IX and Girls Sports
“That’s not fair!” It seems like we’re all born with the value of “fairness” running through our veins, as anyone who’s been around children of preschool age and older can attest. Fairness may be one of the few values left today that crosses all political, social, age, and racial demographics. It’s more of a human…Autumn Leva -
- News
28 Congressional Democrats Sign Letter Demanding Department of Education Allow Biological Males in Girls Sports
Twenty-eight congressional Democrats signed a letter Wednesday condemning the Department of Education for ruling that public schools that allow biological males who identify as transgender to play girls sports are violating Title IX civil rights legislation. Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal joined 27 House Democrats in signing the letter, which charged that the department’s order…Peter Hasson -
- News
George Washington University Apologizes for Sharing Email About Police Recruitment Fair
George Washington University issued an apology Wednesday to students after sending an email about an upcoming police employment fair. The chair of the sociology department, Hiromi Ishizawa, said the employment email sent a few days prior “hurt many people in this context of national and international focus on police violence and police abuses, especially against…Jake Dima -
- Opinion
Hillsdale College President Explains Why Campus Will Be Open This Fall
Hillsdale College will be one of the only colleges, if not the only college, this year planning to hold an in-person commencement ceremony for its graduates. Larry Arnn, president of Hillsdale College and a trustee of The Heritage Foundation, joins The Daily Signal Podcast today to discuss why the college has chosen to take this…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
Why We Need to Reemphasize America’s Founding Principles in Civics Education
We have a serious problem in this country with civics education and history. Not only are there widespread efforts to undermine the country’s founding principles, such as Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States” and The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” but the prevalence of civics and history as subjects in schools has…Katie Gorka