What Chicago Should Have Done Instead of Closing 50 Schools

Chicago education officials voted yesterday to close 50 public school, the largest instance of mass school closure in the country and one that disproportionately affects students of color and low-income students. Here's what they should have done instead.

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WI Budget Plays Politics with School Funding

By Gina Palazzari and Tom Beebe, Institute for Wisconsin's Future

Organizers in Wisconsin are becoming increasingly frustrated with policymakers using school funding to advance bad policy programs like vouchers rather than striving to fund all schools fairly and adequately.

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Chicago Officials Vote Today on Fate of 54 Schools

Chicago education officials will vote today on the fate of 54 public schools slated for closure. The vote comes after several weeks of inspiring actions including city-wide student walkouts, teacher-led marches, and even the filing of federal lawsuits.

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The "Education Spring" Is Here

May 17th is the 59th anniversary of the historic Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision. Decades later, students, parents, teacher and advocates are still fighting against education policies that leave students of color and low-income students deprived of the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. But a grassroots revolution is brewing, what blogger Jeff Bryant has been calling an "education spring," and this past week has seen headline-grabbing victories and inspiring actions.

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Philly Students Stage City-Wide Walkout

Thousands of students in Philadelphia are staging a massive, city-wide walkout today to protest the under-resourcing of their schools and school closures. A number of OTL allies are participating in the event, including the Philadelphia Student Union and Youth United for Change, two of the largest student organizing groups in the city. Follow #walkout215 on Twitter for for live updates!

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Unified Backlash to Education Mandates Grows, Spreads

By Jeff Bryant, Education Opportunity Network

A national grassroots movement of parents, students, teachers and advocates against high-stakes testing and standards is growing, propelled by widespread grievances about inequity, unfairness, and public disempowerment. As the resistance swells, so does the call for sensible policies that support teachers and schools and provide all students with access to key resources and opportunities.

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