Christine Cooke Fairbanks
-
FAQ: Utah State Board of Ed will debate soon … why does it matter?
The board creates rules to establish state standards, statewide standardized testing, high school graduation requirements and educator licensing.
-
Utah Education Debate Coalition presents 2020 debate series
The members of the Utah State Board of Education make critical decisions regarding the direction of education in our state.
-
New polling shows pandemic could bring increase in home schooling
A recent national poll from the American Federation for Children conducted by RealClear Opinion Research shows that 40 percent of families say they are more likely to home-school or enroll in virtual schools even after the lockdowns end.
-
U.S. History of Civics part 2: School reforms for COVID-19 point us to successful ed reformers in American history
The following essay is part 2 in a series that discusses the history of civics education in America. U.S. History of Civics part 1: The Founders’ vision — ‘What species of knowledge can be equally important?’ State education leaders are…
-
6 ways the COVID-19 era might change the 2020-21 school year
In a system where change can be inordinately difficult due to multi-layered administration and interest group politics, Utah’s education leaders should be commended for being forward-thinking about the need to change and adapt to the current realities schools face.
-
U.S. History of Civics part 1: The Founders’ vision — ‘What species of knowledge can be equally important?’
The hope of education as a tool to sustain the republic, like so many of the Founders’ aspirations, remains a lofty goal. The aspiration of civic education shared by the Founders creates a measuring stick for public school civics standards…
-
Colleges wrestle with questions of reopening
The shuttering of universities has been predicted by some scholars for a while now due to changes to society, technological advances and flexibility in employment. But now, the individual choices being made in response to the coronavirus have accelerated this…
-
Teacher Appreciation Week 2020 brings a new resonance
Teacher Appreciation Week is a well-deserved moment of reflection on the important work that educators do – but it’s especially important this year. To educators across the nation, happy Teacher Appreciation Week.
-
Education and the 4th special session: what we learned
Let’s move forward on the assumption of common ground. There is still plenty of work to be done in offering students fairness though educational options.
-
Is innovation at heart of Utah’s top-ranked schools?
Why is it that charter schools tend to do so well? Perhaps it’s because they have the space to innovate, try new things, and find what works versus what doesn’t.