Here are some recent useful posts and articles on educational policy issues (You might also be interested in seeing all my “Best” lists related to education policy here):
I’m adding this post to The Best Resources On Student Absenteeism:
How an L.A. charter school has all but eliminated chronic absenteeism among homeless students www.latimes.com/california/s…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) September 8, 2026 at 7:31 AM
American Psychological Association calls for higher ed tech standards, not screen bans in new report is from Chalkbeat. I’m adding it to The Best Analyses About The Role Of Ed Tech In Today’s Classrooms.
Parents’ ratings of their own kids’ school is much higher than their ratings of k-12 education nationwide. But: both series are at record lows.
news.gallup.com/poll/714017/…
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— Catherine Rampell (@crampell.bsky.social) September 8, 2026 at 5:38 AM
SPECIAL REPORT
Last month, Alpha School invited people to follow student social media accounts “if curious about life in our high schools.” I accepted their offer.
What I’ve found shocks me. Forget the AI and ask instead: Is Alpha Schools a cult?
Follow along for a summary of my findings.
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— Benjamin Riley (@benjaminjriley.bsky.social) September 8, 2026 at 3:52 AM
I asked educators to respond to what I’ve found. Here’s a sample of what they told me, starting with @larryferlazzo.bsky.social:
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— Benjamin Riley (@benjaminjriley.bsky.social) September 8, 2026 at 4:14 AM
The Mystery of Steubenville is from The Education Daly.
Wow, Luke Radel really grilled Homan here.
Radel: Do you believe that ICE should be arresting parents in front of their children at school bus stops?
Homan: Has ICE arrested parents at school bus stops?
Radel: In Bridgeport, Connecticut, last week.
Homan: I’m not aware of…
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 8, 2026
Special education head at Education Department abruptly resigns www.npr.org/2026/09/09/n…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) September 9, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Everything is fine in our local school board race
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) September 9, 2026 at 8:26 PM
Why This Small Dutch Town Is Teaching ‘Adolescence’ in School www.nytimes.com/2026/09/09/w…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) September 9, 2026 at 5:10 AM
Should Professors Teach More? Some Colleges Are Trying to Make Them. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/09/u…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) September 9, 2026 at 5:09 AM
“I’d like to take my class on a field trip. Is there any money in the budget for one?”
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) September 8, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Who Says Reading Is Dead? www.nytimes.com/2026/09/10/o…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) September 10, 2026 at 3:19 PM
Interesting photo of children to choose. 85 percent of North Dakota is white.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 9, 2026
NEW: To give voucher programs a toehold in state legislatures, politicians touted how students with disabilities would gain access to private education.
But those students’ families often have the hardest time finding schools that will accept them.
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— ProPublica (@propublica.org) September 11, 2026 at 5:30 AM
How Conservatives Are Changing College Requirements www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/u…
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— Larry Ferlazzo (@larryferlazzo.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 1:40 PM
NEW REPORT ON ALPHA SCHOOL
Last week, I reported on troubling activities at Alpha School’s boot camp. This week, I report on the broader activities going on at Alpha School, and its culture.
What I found is deeply disturbing. Children are at risk.
I will now share some of what I uncovered.
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— Benjamin Riley (@benjaminjriley.bsky.social) September 14, 2026 at 3:52 AM
This is good because exit exams are bad: The Best Posts & Articles About Why High School Exit Exams Might Not Be A Good Idea
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) September 14, 2026