Lance Izumi

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. ...
Commentary

Public schools failed during COVID, so give families more choice

Perhaps in no other area did the COVID-19 pandemic have a greater impact than on education. While government spending burgeoned, student achievement plummeted, children’s mental health suffered and schools became more dangerous, which is an outcome that demands a better solution such as giving parents greater educational choice. During the ...
Blog

How parental choice can help save our urban areas

The following is an address delivered by Lance Izumi at the recent 2023 Pacific Research Institute Sacramento Conference at the Sutter Club. California’s urban areas are in decline, but empirical evidence shows that one possible solution holds out hope for the state’s distressed cities – expanding parental choice in education. ...
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. ...
Commentary

Public schools failed during COVID, so give families more choice

Perhaps in no other area did the COVID-19 pandemic have a greater impact than on education. While government spending burgeoned, student achievement plummeted, children’s mental health suffered and schools became more dangerous, which is an outcome that demands a better solution such as giving parents greater educational choice. During the ...
Blog

How parental choice can help save our urban areas

The following is an address delivered by Lance Izumi at the recent 2023 Pacific Research Institute Sacramento Conference at the Sutter Club. California’s urban areas are in decline, but empirical evidence shows that one possible solution holds out hope for the state’s distressed cities – expanding parental choice in education. ...
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