Blog: General

Giving Weight to Evaluations

by Students Matter Last week, the Hechinger Report and the Center for Investigative Journalism published an article highlighting the urgency of Students Matter’s efforts to strike down California’s teacher retention and dismissal statutes that interfere with children’s right to a quality education. They focus on how California’s restrictive state laws […continue]

Coming Together for Progress in San Jose

by Students Matter New York City Education Commissioner John King announced on Saturday that teachers in New York City public schools will adopt a new evaluation system based on 60% principal observation and 40% student performance measures. The new system came out of a lengthy standoff between the New York […continue]

Letting Our Teachers Flourish

by Students Matter “There is no system in the world that’s better than its teachers.” When educators are nourished with a sense of possibility, a culture of high expectations and opportunities for innovation, schools will flourish. That’s one of the main takeaways from the must-watch talk by Ken Robinson that […continue]

On the Anniversary of Brown v. Board

by Students Matter On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States declared that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal,” ending the segregation of our public schools. The landmark ruling of Brown v. Board of Education affirmed the constitutional rights of all students to equal access to a […continue]

Stanford University Law School to Host Forum on Vergara v. California

On May 15 at Stanford University, Students Matter founder Dave Welch and co-lead attorney for the Plaintiffs in Vergara v. California Ted Boutrous will present the legal theory and innovative approach behind the groundbreaking lawsuit sponsored by Students Matter. Students Matter believes in the power of a good teacher. Research […continue]

Making Teacher Appreciation More Than A Week

by Students Matter National Teacher Appreciation Week kicked off yesterday with events to acknowledge the contributions of the country’s educators, including Google hangouts, school visits, and a Twitter campaign to #thankateacher. Take a moment to thank a teacher—it’s a great first step—but here at Students Matter we know the real work of creating a […continue]

Challenging An Unjust System

by Students Matter When large numbers of students are dropping out or graduating unprepared for college and careers, we have a failing system. When those students are concentrated in schools serving low-income and minority students, we have an unjust system. The state Department of Education announced Tuesday that four-year high […continue]

Teachers Matter

by Students Matter The Foundation for Excellence in Education released a video earlier in January explaining the impetus behind states changing their education laws to better identify and promote effective teaching in their public schools. Simply put, “Students with great teachers learn more.” Despite the national trend recognizing the importance […continue]

L.A. Primary Night Results Recap

by Students Matter Los Angeles voters cast ballots today to determine the next Mayor of Los Angeles and fill the three open seats on the Los Angeles Unified Board of Education. Leading up to the March 5 primary, the school board race received national media attention and extensive local media […continue]