NEW: what should Democratic governors do on education after November? I lay out a roadmap based on who controls their legislature. One common piece: dealing with potential a federal spending pullback.

ICYMI: I walk through national education priorities when Democrats retake Congress. Coming up: a focus on Dem governors. In both cases, dealing with long-term federal uncertainty.

A note headed into the weekend. #fundpublicschools

I appreciate @the74.bsky.social coverage including my response to the White House’s gruesome tweet depicting deported, handcuffed children in a Mrs. Frizzle-style bus. www.the74million.org/article/from...

Horrific. And Un-American. The entire right-wing education reform network was at the White House yesterday—will a single person denounce a back-to-school message based on a bus full of children in chains?

"The voucher data may seem surprising” Cowen said, adding, “As it turns out, these are pretty predictable.” Research shows parents turn down vouchers when elite private schools turn them away👇

Takeaway pt 1

“When they stop administering the state exam, then the lobby groups and the voucher supporters can just yell about how great it is for everyone and no one calls them out on it anymore,” Cowen said. Any serious use of vouchers to improve opportunity demands accountability.

NEW: Dr. @matthewakraft.com is a Brown education economist who served in the White House. His team just released a shocking new report showing huge numbers of US schools are located near toxic waste sites.

Texas comptroller just (after delay) released the numbers. 70% of voucher users this year were never in public schools. Almost precisely what I predicted to the Texas legislature when I testified 18 months ago.

A few days ago, I had a chance to chat with @connectwithjacob.bsky.social @ms.now who asked me where the Democrats are on education these days. There are some good ideas, but as an issue it needs to make it back to a top priority.

As someone who’s been asking Dems to grab education back as a top issue, it’s always important to point out good examples. At today’s general kickoff event, a teacher introduced @jocelynbenson.bsky.social and Gov. Whitmer—who both built their speeches on defending and improving public schools.

Appreciated the chance to join @connectwithjacob.bsky.social @ms.now to talk MI politics and the road ahead. One thing I’m watching is this “battle for the soul of the party” stuff isn’t what Michigan families are talking about right now.

NEW: Congressman @greglandsman.bsky.social represents the frontline Ohio 1st District. A former educator who’s working on bipartisan child care solutions, Rep. Landsman joined me this week to talk about national investments in kids and families.

As I note in my book The Privateers, Betsy DeVos devotes 8 out of 30 pages in the COVID chapter of her memoir as ED Secretary to complaining about “woke” and “critical race theory” instead of the virus.

School choice world: “But why don’t blue governors trust the administration on the new scholarship tax credit?! Trump would never weaponize or refuse to uphold a law!”

Literally just yesterday formed OMB and HHS general counsel @sbagen.bsky.social explained on my podcast how Vought does this kind of thing.

There's a lot of good coverage on what's happening with the US Department of Education but I haven't seen anyone breakdown how they're actually doing it the way Sam has.

NEW: walking through the changes to SNAP that are risking food assistance for millions of families—and threatening school breakfast and lunch programs. My latest:

Last night the House GOP education chair introduced legislation to finish dismantling the Dept of Education. Just before the holiday, I sat down with Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet, who will be a key leader in any rebuild of federal education policy.

I’ve been begging folks across the political spectrum to internalize this. Up to and including even Title I and IDEA: Everything we think know and can rely on with federal K12 funding is changing. The latest👇

Trump 1.0 changed how we talk about education. Culture wars became the benchmark for results. And the truth no longer matters. As I say here @moreperfectunion.bsky.social Arizona is “the gold standard for what not to do, and how to do what not to do.”

18 months ago @bridgetbrink.com was in Kiev serving as US ambassador and I was in states like LA, NH, TN and TX fighting for public schools. Very different stories. We both came home to MI to run for Congress and do our part. Last fall I withdrew and endorsed her. Today we honored 🇺🇸 together.

Wait what

Last fall after she launched her campaign for governor, I asked @ginafortexas.bsky.social what was driving her to take on this work. She said:

NEW: Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet has served in state policy agencies, the legislature, and now a swing House seat. We sat down to talk child and family policy, K-12 investment and improvement, and rebuilding the US Department of Education for the future.

NEW: I sat down with @neeratanden.bsky.social @americanprogressaction.org We talked about building coalitions that last, communicating ideas and policy without condescension, and how education fits into all of it.

NEW: I sat down with journalist @greenwell.bsky.social —author of Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream. We talked about what private equity is, why it’s a problem, and why it’s so interested in youth sports and other markets targeting family services.

My sense is that the field is beginning to see this faster than the political side. They’re right to begin planning. A lot of work needs to start. 3/4

In many cases, districts won’t have a choice but to become providers of services under the federal credit. It’s going to become a big share of federal spending. 2/4