Recent Posts by Eric Lerum
Getting it right in policy debate
StudentsFirst has never been shy about the fact that we are an advocacy organization. We have a clear agenda, and we take a stance on which policies we feel will improve our public education system to better serve all students. We’ll always attempt to be fair and accurate while engaging in the debate; but vociferously debate we will. Read More»
What is the Impact of a School District?
Do school districts matter? The Brown Center on Education Policy at The Brookings Institute released an interesting report today that asks, and attempts to answer, this very question. Read More»
New Jersey is Taking Over Camden Schools—A Case for Optimism
Admittedly, when we found out that the state of New Jersey is planning to take over the Camden School District, I wasn’t sure what to think. There was certainly an overriding feeling of knowing that something had to be done. Read More»
Raising quality in school choice
California has long embraced the notion of ensuring that parents have more school choice options. Read More»
Uncommon Equity and Rigor: StudentsFirst Supports the Common Core
Recent efforts to roll back Common Core adoption and implementation are troubling. Legislative proposals in Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, and South Carolina threaten the progress already made in these states to ensure schoolchildren are ready to compete with their peers in other states and around the world. Read More»
Let’s make this (high-quality) School Choice Year
What do we take away from National School Choice Week? Those who believe parents deserve to have options when it comes to their kids' education celebrated it across the country last week, with rallies from Los Angeles to Kansas City. Read More»
AFT ‘Analysis’ is Defective and Distracting
An honest assessment about student achievement in any state would conclude that we have a long way to go in ensuring every student is receiving the kind of education he or she deserves. Read More»
The Discussion Isn’t Over…
By now you've probably heard about the StudentsFirst State Policy Report Card we released on Monday. The discussion isn't over! Read More»
thinkED
The StudentsFirst Policy and Fiscal Strategy teams are proud to present our very own blog: thinkED. This blog will provide research-based, common sense solutions for transforming public education, while serving as a forum to diverse perspectives on education reform. We plan to engage in constructive discussions, analyze education studies, and provide commentary on education news. We hope you're ready. Read More»
