With the clearest indication yet, Governor Kathy Hochul has issued the below statement signaling her intent to opt New York State into the Education Freedom Tax Credit! This could mean hundreds of millions of dollars in scholarships for low-income kids in public and private schools @GovKathyHochul @CSFNational scholarshipsforallny.com

"Sometimes the obstacle is the way!" That was my response to those who are abandoning standards in K-12 education, because of racial disparities. When objective assessments are removed as a condition for graduation, like state high school exams, we rob young people of the dignity to demonstrate their ability to meet and surpass those standards. We hurt the very kids whom these misguided efforts are supposed to help. youtube.com/live/raVREkTOMSQ… @JeanneAllen @PhyllisLEAP @MichelleRhee @CharterGrowth @asugsvsummit

Engaging in juicy debate across differences remains one of life’s non-guilty pleasures.  That why it was great to nerd out with @alexgrodd and @StefanLallinger on the The Disagreement videocast as we - agreeably - hashed out our disagreements on the worth of selective high schools, expressed the joint frustration of underrepresented groups, explored the nuanced alternatives for how we each would rectify the situation and me of course relishing  convincing Stefan to move to my position :-) Stefan and I steelmanning each other’s argument at the end of the discussion is great (I.e. the juice is worth the squeeze). Thanks for the opportunity for true civil discourse.  See. A clip below and full episode here: thedisagreement.substack.com… @disagreementhq

Thanks for the response. The “stats” you are focused on - race and gender - mask the overwhelming data that indicates that the family structure within which a child is raised, is far more determinative of that child’s education (and other) outcomes. There are lots of high-performing black and Asian kids being raised in healthy, married, low-income two-parent households, while simultaneously there are many white kids being raised in unstable, single-parent households that are severely underperforming academically. Race and gender are “lazy” categories for analysis because they are easily visible/trackable. It’s not that we should ignore those factors. But implying that analyzing outcomes through the prism of family structure is “noise,” then you, like @cremieuxrecueil , are ignoring a key, frankly obvious factor that has become taboo to discuss. Unfortunately, this kind of single variable analysis leads to the conclusion that racial gaps must be being driven by racial discrimination and/or racial inferiority, which is repugnant. Other factors matter. It’s unfortunate SATs (and NAEP) do not make it easier to disaggregate student outcomes by family structure. But we shouldn’t let the lack of data lead us to presume the only factors that matter are the visibly lazy ones like race and gender.

Good point. However, knowing that it is best to get married before having children is not due to “selection.” It’s a result of educating young people so they become the ones predisposed make smart choices. Part of the reason we teach the Success Sequence @VertexAcademies is to empower young people with the information to make the best decisions about the timing and order of family formation that gives them the greatest likelihood to avoid poverty and prosper economically. By promoting the ideal family structure for raising children, that does not mean demonizing other forms. @Otter26and @christinajcross

On Constitution Day, at this moment rife with political division, how do we help young people believe they are not just shaped by the world—but shapers of it? I recently had the opportunity to speak with @nfajors on one of the core missions of our work: teaching students to see themselves — and their country — as capable of constant growth. At Vertex Partnership Academies @VertexAcademies our students begin each day by reciting the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. Why? Because we want them to internalize these words: “We the People.” To understand that they are not powerless passengers in life, but active participants in a nation that — as imperfect as any other — is built on the idea of self-renewal and progress. The tools of self-betterment don’t just exist within America—they exist within each of us. Our task as educators is to awaken that agency, and to remind young people that their identity is not one of permanent victimhood, but of purpose, possibility, and power.

At Vertex Partnership Academies, we are committed to providing our students multiple pathways to individual success, either through opportunities generated by the school or through those developed through our students’ own initiative. CBS News @jennamdeangelis recently featured Yandel, a member of the inaugural graduating class of Vertex Partnership Academies, as he worked over the summer doing cancer research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine - an opportunity Yandel actively sought out to create as a curious student eager to learn more. The Beyond Albert high school research program is just one of the “real-world” engagements Vertex students have the opportunity to experience at top research institutions, colleges and universities across the world. Check out more Extraordinary Experiences that Vertex students have pursued in the United States, Europe and Asia: vertexacademies.org/student-… @einsteinmed @vertexacademies

Ignore the haters @NewEmergingKing Our students at @VertexAcademies in the Bronx wear their beautiful blazers and ties as part of their daily uniform. Our students are proud to look sharp, and ready to learn. They can differentiate on the quality of what’s in their brain, not what they wear. Consistency of appearance also strengthens a robust and focused academic environment, while simultaneously reducing disciplinary issues around bullying and behavioral matters. vertexacademies.org/about/a-…