A Costly Disconnect

Once again, a group of Californians is attempting to qualify a statewide ballot initiative intended to dramatically increase parents’ ability to enroll their children in the school of their choosing, whether public or private. And once again, the effort is almost certain to sow disappointment, invite recrimination, and result in failure. It could

Continue reading →

No Laughing Matter

I must confess that my memory is beginning to slip. I can’t, for example, recall whether Walter Cronkite was trusted slightly more, or slightly less than God. What is certain is that a 1972 Oliver Quayle Research survey found the legendary CBS news anchor to be “the most trusted man in America.” So…

Continue reading →

Someone is Watching

Last week, I submitted a one-sentence public comment in response to an obscure announcement buried within the California Department of Education’s website. At issue is a pending request from the CDE to the U.S. Department of Education to extend the period of time in which the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) may…

Continue reading →

Dear Assemblymember

With so much attention focused on the balance of power in the U.S. Congress, Californians should be mindful that the rapidly approaching midterm elections will usher in a very different looking California Legislature. As a result of the redistricting that takes place once every ten years, a substantial number of Democrats have decided to…

Continue reading →

Be Careful What You Wish For!

With projected tax revenues once again exceeding initial expectations and unprecedented amounts of federal funding flowing to California’s public schools, one would think that members of the Golden State’s public education establishment would be contentedly licking their chops. But as anyone who has been paying attention is aware, nothing could be farther from the…

Continue reading →