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Newsom’s Mental Health Plan for Kids: Way Too Late for Problem He Caused

Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed mental health plan for children reminds me of the arsonist who starts a fire, but then calls the fire department to put out the blaze he started. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Newsom closed California’s public schools for a longer time period than most other states, which ...
Blog

The 2022-23 School Year Remains Grim for Special Education Students

The school year has started, and parents and students are hopeful that education has returned to “normal” from the last three school years of COVID pandemic-era closures and online learning. For students, the California public school system crumbled under the closures and online classes offered little to no growth in ...
Blog

Talking Like Robin Hood, Governing Like Prince John

When I was a kid, I loved the classic Disney animated adaptation of Robin Hood.  In the story, Prince John imposed huge taxes on his subjects to fatten his pockets.    Robin joined Little John in thwarting the Prince’s schemes and returning his ill-gotten plunder to the poor. Hearing President Biden ...
Blog

CAPITAL IDEAS—Not April Fool’s Day: Newsom Gets Education Award as California Students Suffer and Fail

DOWNLOAD THE PDF When Governor Gavin Newsom recently received a national award for education, just as student learning craters due to his disastrous school policies, one could hear California parents collectively exclaim, “Seriously?”   The Education Commission of the States, which is an interstate agency that is supposed to create ...
Education

Secretary Betsy DeVos in conversation with Lance Izumi

Our guest this week is Secretary Betsy DeVos in conversation with Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI’s Center for Education. Sec. DeVos is author of the new book Hostages No More: The Fight for Education Freedom and the Future of the American Child (Center Street Books). They discuss how we ...
Education

WATCH: Putting Kids First: A Conversation with Betsy DeVos

Watch Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI’s Center for Education, in conversation with Secretary Betsy DeVos, author of the new book Hostages No More: The Fight for Education Freedom and the Future of the American Child (Center Street Books). They discuss how we can expand school choice options for every ...
Blog

The Attack on California Childcare Programs Due to Transitional Kindergarten Could Have Been Avoided

Free universal transitional kindergarten for 4-year-olds was passed by the California State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Newsom last year in 2021. What seemed to be a win for working families who struggle to find childcare for their pre-kindergarten children, was a detriment to childcare facilities across the ...
Blog

A Student Issues a Stark Warning on the State of California Schools

While Governor Gavin Newsom was accepting a laughable award for California’s supposed innovation in education, student achievement in the state’s classrooms is spiraling downward due to failed government education policies. The Education Commission of the States, which gave the innovation award to California, lauded all the tax dollars that Newsom ...
Education

Watch PRI’s Lance Izumi Discuss School Choice Options for Back to School on “The Chat”

Watch Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI’s Center for Education, discuss homeschooling and other school choice options for back to school on “The Chat” on Newschannel 10 and KGNC Radio in Amarillo, TX.  Click on the image to watch.
Blog

New Study Dispels Special Ed Funding Myth About Charter Schools

The wide funding gap between regular public schools and charter schools is often explained by charter opponents as due to the larger number of special-education students in regular public schools versus charter schools.  A just released study, however, debunks this claim. There is no doubt that regular public schools receive ...
Blog

Newsom’s Mental Health Plan for Kids: Way Too Late for Problem He Caused

Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed mental health plan for children reminds me of the arsonist who starts a fire, but then calls the fire department to put out the blaze he started. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Newsom closed California’s public schools for a longer time period than most other states, which ...
Blog

The 2022-23 School Year Remains Grim for Special Education Students

The school year has started, and parents and students are hopeful that education has returned to “normal” from the last three school years of COVID pandemic-era closures and online learning. For students, the California public school system crumbled under the closures and online classes offered little to no growth in ...
Blog

Talking Like Robin Hood, Governing Like Prince John

When I was a kid, I loved the classic Disney animated adaptation of Robin Hood.  In the story, Prince John imposed huge taxes on his subjects to fatten his pockets.    Robin joined Little John in thwarting the Prince’s schemes and returning his ill-gotten plunder to the poor. Hearing President Biden ...
Blog

CAPITAL IDEAS—Not April Fool’s Day: Newsom Gets Education Award as California Students Suffer and Fail

DOWNLOAD THE PDF When Governor Gavin Newsom recently received a national award for education, just as student learning craters due to his disastrous school policies, one could hear California parents collectively exclaim, “Seriously?”   The Education Commission of the States, which is an interstate agency that is supposed to create ...
Education

Secretary Betsy DeVos in conversation with Lance Izumi

Our guest this week is Secretary Betsy DeVos in conversation with Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI’s Center for Education. Sec. DeVos is author of the new book Hostages No More: The Fight for Education Freedom and the Future of the American Child (Center Street Books). They discuss how we ...
Education

WATCH: Putting Kids First: A Conversation with Betsy DeVos

Watch Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI’s Center for Education, in conversation with Secretary Betsy DeVos, author of the new book Hostages No More: The Fight for Education Freedom and the Future of the American Child (Center Street Books). They discuss how we can expand school choice options for every ...
Blog

The Attack on California Childcare Programs Due to Transitional Kindergarten Could Have Been Avoided

Free universal transitional kindergarten for 4-year-olds was passed by the California State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Newsom last year in 2021. What seemed to be a win for working families who struggle to find childcare for their pre-kindergarten children, was a detriment to childcare facilities across the ...
Blog

A Student Issues a Stark Warning on the State of California Schools

While Governor Gavin Newsom was accepting a laughable award for California’s supposed innovation in education, student achievement in the state’s classrooms is spiraling downward due to failed government education policies. The Education Commission of the States, which gave the innovation award to California, lauded all the tax dollars that Newsom ...
Education

Watch PRI’s Lance Izumi Discuss School Choice Options for Back to School on “The Chat”

Watch Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI’s Center for Education, discuss homeschooling and other school choice options for back to school on “The Chat” on Newschannel 10 and KGNC Radio in Amarillo, TX.  Click on the image to watch.
Blog

New Study Dispels Special Ed Funding Myth About Charter Schools

The wide funding gap between regular public schools and charter schools is often explained by charter opponents as due to the larger number of special-education students in regular public schools versus charter schools.  A just released study, however, debunks this claim. There is no doubt that regular public schools receive ...
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