Lance Izumi
Blog
Read about an innovative new California school
New School Year, New Hope for At-Risk Students
I report on a lot of bad news about education in California, which is why it was so invigorating to attend the inaugural opening day of Cristo Rey Orange County, an innovative Catholic school that combines rigorous academics with a unique work-study program that has proved successful for countless students ...
Education
Read new survey on public education
New PRI Poll: As New School Year Begins, Voters See Room for Improvement with Local Schools
SACRAMENTO – As students head back to school, a new national survey commissioned by the California-based, nonpartisan, free-market think tank, the Pacific Research Institute finds that voters are more dissatisfied with their local school boards than their neighborhood schools, and see room for improvement in public education. When asked how ...
Blog
Read about latest attacks on charter schools
Los Angeles and Oakland Get “F” Grades for Charter Funding Gaps
The University of Arkansas study compared funding for regular public schools and charter schools in 18 cities across the country using 2019-2020 budget data. Historically, regular public schools have been funded more generously than charter schools, which are autonomous publicly funded schools independent of school districts, but that gap is ...
Classroom Ideology
Harvard-UNC SCOTUS ruling puts pressure on K-12 to do better
With the U.S. Supreme Court striking down race preferences in university admissions in the much-anticipated Harvard-University of North Carolina case, the pressure is now on K-12 schools to produce college-ready students, especially those from underrepresented minority groups. In the Harvard-UNC case, the court said that both institutions discriminated against Asian American applicants, who had the highest objective academic ratings, by using subjective ...
Classroom Ideology
66% of US 4th graders are below proficient in reading
Why Can’t Children Read? Blame the Failed Way We Teach Reading
As the reading abilities of America’s children plummet, the question arises: why? Contrary to popular belief, the COVID pandemic is not the main cause. The real answer lies in the failure of most teacher training programs to instruct aspiring teachers in the most efficient and scientifically proven methods of teaching ...
Charter Schools
Read the latest on the COVID shutdown's effect on the classroom
COVID-19 classroom crash: Charter and home schooling better than public schools
New research has been released showing staggering learning losses for public school students during the COVID-19 pandemic, which raises key questions about why the losses occurred and, even more important, what parents can do in response. A recent joint study by Harvard and Stanford universities found that student-learning loss during ...
Blog
Charter schools provide good learning options for all kids
Classical Academy Charter School Keeps Excelling and Innovating
One of the most rewarding aspects of my job has been the opportunity to meet innovative education leaders whose learning models are making a big difference in the lives of students. Amongst these educators, Cameron Curry, who helped to start Classical Academies and now serves as CEO, is right at ...
Blog
Charters Shortchanged Despite State Funding Increases
L.A. Charter Schools Receive Less Funding Than Regular Public Schools
While Governor Gavin Newsom has touted how he has increased state education funding during his tenure, charter schools have seen less funding compared to regular public schools, with the gap widening in places like Los Angeles. A new study by the University of Arkansas analyzes the funding disparity between charter ...
Blog
SCOTUS Harvard-UNC Case: Higher Ed’s Discrimination Against Asians
On March 28, 2023, Lance Izumi delivered the following address as part of a National Association of Scholars panel that discussed discrimination against Asian Americans in higher education. Let me start by saying that we often hear that underrepresented minorities face a systemic problem in education. However, that systemic ...
Blog
Can Taxpayers Afford New Union Giveaways?
The LAUSD Strike and the State Budget Deficit: Train Wreck Ahead
While coverage of the recent strike by Los Angeles teachers and school staff members has focused on the immediate wage demands of the unions and the impact on students and their families, the bigger and looming issue is how California’s growing state budget deficit could impact any collective bargaining agreement. ...
Read about an innovative new California school
New School Year, New Hope for At-Risk Students
I report on a lot of bad news about education in California, which is why it was so invigorating to attend the inaugural opening day of Cristo Rey Orange County, an innovative Catholic school that combines rigorous academics with a unique work-study program that has proved successful for countless students ...
Read new survey on public education
New PRI Poll: As New School Year Begins, Voters See Room for Improvement with Local Schools
SACRAMENTO – As students head back to school, a new national survey commissioned by the California-based, nonpartisan, free-market think tank, the Pacific Research Institute finds that voters are more dissatisfied with their local school boards than their neighborhood schools, and see room for improvement in public education. When asked how ...
Read about latest attacks on charter schools
Los Angeles and Oakland Get “F” Grades for Charter Funding Gaps
The University of Arkansas study compared funding for regular public schools and charter schools in 18 cities across the country using 2019-2020 budget data. Historically, regular public schools have been funded more generously than charter schools, which are autonomous publicly funded schools independent of school districts, but that gap is ...
Harvard-UNC SCOTUS ruling puts pressure on K-12 to do better
With the U.S. Supreme Court striking down race preferences in university admissions in the much-anticipated Harvard-University of North Carolina case, the pressure is now on K-12 schools to produce college-ready students, especially those from underrepresented minority groups. In the Harvard-UNC case, the court said that both institutions discriminated against Asian American applicants, who had the highest objective academic ratings, by using subjective ...
66% of US 4th graders are below proficient in reading
Why Can’t Children Read? Blame the Failed Way We Teach Reading
As the reading abilities of America’s children plummet, the question arises: why? Contrary to popular belief, the COVID pandemic is not the main cause. The real answer lies in the failure of most teacher training programs to instruct aspiring teachers in the most efficient and scientifically proven methods of teaching ...
Read the latest on the COVID shutdown's effect on the classroom
COVID-19 classroom crash: Charter and home schooling better than public schools
New research has been released showing staggering learning losses for public school students during the COVID-19 pandemic, which raises key questions about why the losses occurred and, even more important, what parents can do in response. A recent joint study by Harvard and Stanford universities found that student-learning loss during ...
Charter schools provide good learning options for all kids
Classical Academy Charter School Keeps Excelling and Innovating
One of the most rewarding aspects of my job has been the opportunity to meet innovative education leaders whose learning models are making a big difference in the lives of students. Amongst these educators, Cameron Curry, who helped to start Classical Academies and now serves as CEO, is right at ...
Charters Shortchanged Despite State Funding Increases
L.A. Charter Schools Receive Less Funding Than Regular Public Schools
While Governor Gavin Newsom has touted how he has increased state education funding during his tenure, charter schools have seen less funding compared to regular public schools, with the gap widening in places like Los Angeles. A new study by the University of Arkansas analyzes the funding disparity between charter ...
SCOTUS Harvard-UNC Case: Higher Ed’s Discrimination Against Asians
On March 28, 2023, Lance Izumi delivered the following address as part of a National Association of Scholars panel that discussed discrimination against Asian Americans in higher education. Let me start by saying that we often hear that underrepresented minorities face a systemic problem in education. However, that systemic ...
Can Taxpayers Afford New Union Giveaways?
The LAUSD Strike and the State Budget Deficit: Train Wreck Ahead
While coverage of the recent strike by Los Angeles teachers and school staff members has focused on the immediate wage demands of the unions and the impact on students and their families, the bigger and looming issue is how California’s growing state budget deficit could impact any collective bargaining agreement. ...
