All the science — We must be guided by science. For two years now, American society has demanded that our decisions be guided by science. The economy and inflation. Vaccines. Masks. Even school operations. In each instance, we seek the evidence — the science — to ensure we are making the best decisions possible…

If only I had known that I was a candidate canary in the school board coal mine … It was only a few years ago when I made the decision to (again) run for local school board. Having previously served as a school board chairman in Virginia years before, I…

How does one truly measure their professional impact? For most of my career, I answered that question based on the size of my professional stage. At the start of my career, as I was working for U.S. Senators with names most recognized, I defined my success by winning elections, helping…

A year ago this month, COVID-19 meant the closure of youth sports in New Jersey and the end of my competitive cheer coaching career. December 2020 marked my retirement as a cheer coach. I felt such mixed emotions: joy to have made such incredible memories as well as sadness around…

“She didn’t realize the severity of using such a term.” That was the first response I received nearly two weeks after an adult coach — and a mother of an athlete — used the “N word” in the cheer gym where my 13-year-old daughter trained. For more than 10 days…

Not a day goes by without hearing from some marketer discussing the importance of reaching the holy grail of audiences — 16- to 25-year-olds. Millennials, Gen Zs, and now Gen Alphas are who we all want to successfully inform and drive to action. Chock full of disposable income, still developing…

The “science of reading,” the very foundations of Reading First and programs like it, is experiencing a renaissance these days. No matter what we wish to call it, these foundational elements of literacy again capture the hearts and minds of countless schools and families looking for literacy skills to improve…

What is the future of the federal investment in reading instruction? — As states and educators increasingly call for an embrace (or is it re-embrace?) of the “science of reading” in classrooms across the nation, we need to ask an important question. What is the future of the federal investment in reading instruction? It’s been a decade and a half since we…

During the Obama-Biden Administration, there was much talk about teacher quality, closing the achievement gap, and ensuring our communities have the systems in place to drive the levels of improvement we have sought for so long. But with all of that rhetoric, there was little attention paid to the research…