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Commentary

Commentaries published in this section and on EdSource more generally represent the opinions of the authors, who in turn are reflective of EdSource’s broad audience. As an independent, non-partisan organization, EdSource does not take a position on legislation or policy. We welcome guest commentaries representing diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our commentary guidelines, and contact us.
Teacher Voices
November 19, 2020

Struggling with your college essay? Beware of these common pitfalls

Knowing how to write effectively is a necessary skill for a student’s success.

Meredith Joelle Charlson
Commentary
November 13, 2020

From LH to BH: Think positive

It is time to focus on building a foundation of trust and civil discourse.

Michael Feuer
Teacher Voices
November 11, 2020

What we can do to keep our students engaged in learning

The classroom shouldn’t be isolated from what happens in the real world; it should be an extension of students’ lives.

Kandy Galvez
Commentary
November 10, 2020

Looking beyond STEM to prepare for meaningful human work

Skills and knowledge matter, but workers must be able to apply them to solve problems in rapidly shifting work environments.

Jamie Merisotis
Commentary
November 5, 2020

Ensure equitable broadband access to secure California’s future

When the delivery of high-quality instruction depends on reliable, high-speed broadband connections for every student anyone lacking these resources gets left behind.

Su Jin Gatlin Jez and Peter J. Taylor
Commentary
November 4, 2020

California’s misleading K-12 dashboard could lead to closure of the wrong schools

Dashboard calculations of school performance can obscure the success of schools helping students who are several grade levels behind.

Steve Rees and David Osborne
Commentary
November 2, 2020

Tuition-free college is critical to our economy

Research shows that the private and public economic benefit of free college tuition would outweigh the cost.

Morley Winograd and Max Lubin
Student voices
November 2, 2020

How college dreams helped me kick my habit

Once you realize that there is more to life than escaping your problems, the light at the end of the tunnel becomes a lot closer to reach.

Raven Brown
Commentary
October 29, 2020

Expanding social emotional learning so all students can benefit

Resources and funding can help districts provide more support for students during these challenging times.

Linda Darling-Hammond, Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Tony Thurmond
Commentary
October 26, 2020

Transform higher education — make textbooks free

Studies show open educational resources generate results equal to or better than traditional textbooks at far lower costs.

Gary Michelson and Hal Plotkin
Commentary
October 11, 2020

State lawmakers hurt charter schools, online learning with funding deal

The budget for the new fiscal year froze funding for schools at their 2019-20 level, preventing additional state funding for growing schools with increased numbers of students in the fall.

Lance Izumi
Commentary
October 9, 2020

Schools must work harder to connect culturally with English learners during the pandemic

Students and their families need help crossing cultural and linguistic barriers to access distance learning materials and instructions.

Magaly Lavadenz and Elvira Armas
Commentary
October 5, 2020

To safely reopen schools, we have to talk about indoor air quality and ventilation

Have we made sure all schools and classrooms have adequate fresh air ventilation to reduce coronavirus transmission? If the answer is no, students and staff will get sick.

Jeff Vincent
Analysis
October 2, 2020

Trump contracting Covid-19 likely to elevate concerns about school reopenings

Opening schools for in-person instruction involves taking risks at almost every stage in the process.

Louis Freedberg
Commentary
September 29, 2020

We can build on best practices revealed by the transition to distance learning

Challenges faced during the spring provide important lessons for the fall.

Mitch Slater