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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 32m

3/ Former board president Nate Easley: "We moved quickly because students needed help immediately … we didn’t bring people along with us." Read the Denver case study 👉 bellwether.org/publications...

bellwether.org

Groundwork for Change in Denver: A Case Study on Teach For America Alumni Leadership | Bellwether

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 32m

2/ Schools achieving high performance ratings rose from 64 to 122 between 2008 and 2017. Four-year graduation rates surged from 52% in 2010 to 82% in 2025. Gains weren’t evenly distributed, and much of the architecture has since been rolled back.

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 33m

1/ Alumni were distributed across the whole system — classrooms, central offices, charter networks, advocacy orgs, the statehouse. Between 2005 and 2025, at least 898 served as Denver classroom teachers and 242 as school administrators.

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 33m

"The impact of TFA on Denver was astronomical. The Denver story doesn’t look anything like it does without TFA." — Chris Gibbons, founder of STRIVE Preparatory Schools Read the case study 🧵👇

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

For the education reporters, grad students, and policy folks rebuilding their feeds: we curated a Starter Pack of the #EduPolicy voices we rely on. 👉 go.bsky.app/Qg6LonT #EduSky #AcademicSky #EduResearch

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Leading Indicators in Education Policy

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

That's the week. What else would you add? Reply below. And follow along for more education news we're watching. Learn more about our work at bellwether.org.

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Ed. Dept. staff say the agency hasn't been dismantled — it's been scattered across other agencies, adding bureaucracy. @jonakimehta.bsky.social @npr.org

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

As the White House reviews new education tax credit rules, questions remain about what one expert called the "largest and least-regulated" federal K-12 program. @lrj417.bsky.social @the74.bsky.social

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The GAO says the Ed. Dept. isn't ensuring states get reliable chronic absence data, after suspending some state oversight this year. Alyson Klein reports. @edweek.org

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

HISD is cutting staff and budgets after enrollment fell nearly 10,000. Texas is one of 40 states projected to lose students by 2030-31 — our research with WestEd puts the stakes at $11.5B a year. @partainclaire.bsky.social @nusaiba.bsky.social @houstonchronicle.com

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

A federal judge vacated the anti-DEI directive behind hundreds of millions in cuts to teacher training grants, ruling it unlawful. @annamerod.bsky.social (K-12 Dive)

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

A large study of Khan Academy's math program found no added benefit from AI. Students didn't want Khanmigo's answers — or its questions. @jillbarshay.bsky.social @hechingerreport.org

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

At 60, Metco is a success Boston families believe in — but it hasn't expanded in decades, despite deep inequities between city and suburban schools. @iamjohnhilliard.bsky.social @bostonglobe.com

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

@nhannahjones.bsky.social revisits the school choice she made for her daughter a decade ago — and what her now-16-year-old thinks of it. (NYT Magazine)

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

At Bellwether, we follow education news closely. Here's our weekly roundup of the stories shaping schools, students, and policy. 🧵

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

"That's the work of Black parents in America today. Staying on offense." Bellwether's Chantavia Burton Moore reflects on Nikole Hannah-Jones' essay — and why she hybrid homeschools her 8-year-old 👇🏿

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

6/ It’s impossible to say alumni were responsible for these reforms. These systems are too big and too complex for that. But without them, the design, pace, depth, and impact of those reforms would likely look different today.

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

5/ Alumni didn’t always agree on direction, and rarely worked through a formal network. But shared experiences, aligned values, and a common orientation toward change made them a cumulative and consequential force for reform.

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

4/ What kept recurring across cities that looked nothing alike — a consistent set of traits: relentless drive · mission orientation toward educational opportunity · humility and continuous learning · relationship and coalition leadership · data-driven decision-making.

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

3/ Four themes emerged: 1/ Establishing a vision and architecture for reform 2/ Executing it as district lieutenants 3/ Founding, leading, and staffing high-quality school options 4/ Leading advocacy and public will-building

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

2/ Sometimes that meant formal authority — superintendent, legislator, board member. More often it was less visible but consequential: district office staff, school and network leaders, community advocates. One system leader’s phrase: "extraordinary lieutenants."

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

1/ All three emerged as bright spots in urban education reform over the past 20 years. When conditions for change were ripe, Teach For America alumni provided an influx of leadership talent that helped spark, accelerate, and sustain it. At times they helped shape those conditions.

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Denver, Camden, and New York City implemented different reforms, in different political environments, on different timelines. The same kind of leader kept turning up in all three. New research from Bellwether 🧵👇

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Funding debates are moving fast. Keep up with the people breaking down what it means for students and schools — our #EduPolicy Starter Pack has them in one place. 👉https://go.bsky.app/Qg6LonT #EduSky #HigherEd

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Americans are having fewer babies. That's now a school budget story. Enrollment in K-12 public schools is declining... so what's next for districts? Watch our full YouTube video at the link below 👇

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

New here and wondering who to follow on education policy? We built the shortcut. One click adds top researchers, reporters, and orgs to your feed. 👉 go.bsky.app/Qg6LonT #EduSky #EduPolicy #AcademicSky

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

AI in schools: revolution or rhetoric? 🤔 Juliet Squire takes up the question Thursday at Emerging School Models, hosted at @harvardeducation.bsky.social — with @ddmeyer.bsky.social moderating. 9/17, 2:30 p.m. ET. In person or virtual 👇 bit.ly/4iWSTYa

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Tracking education policy shifts, research, and funding fights? Our #EduPolicy Starter Pack rounds up the researchers, journalists, orgs, and advocates worth following. 👉 go.bsky.app/Qg6LonT #EduSky #HigherEd #EduResearch

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Reposted by Bellwether

The 74 @the74.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Today's the 60th anniversary of International Literacy Day! Throughout the day, we’ll be highlighting schools across the country that are beating the odds in teaching kids to read. Is your school a Bright Spot? Find out here: www.the74million.org/article/thes... #NationalLiteracyDay #BrightSpots

the74million.org

These Schools Are Beating the Odds in Teaching Kids to Read

New analysis compares literacy vs. poverty rates for 10,000 districts, 42,000 schools and 3 million kids. Is your school a Bright Spot?

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

And accountability is the open question. The boundaries that used to tell you who's responsible for a student are all eroding. (4/5)

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

States are moving faster than their systems can handle. Widening access is easier than building what makes access pay off. (3/5)

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Maintenance, not launches. States rebuilt payment systems, wrote transcript standards, drew lines around AI. Very little was new. (2/5)

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Three takeaways from our new analysis of 2026 K-12 legislation in all 50 states + DC 🧵 (1/5)

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Ed conferences are built backward — the programming performs consensus while the real learning happens in the hallway. Bellwether's Mark Baxter prescription isn't fewer conferences — it's braver ones. Here's how: eduwonk.substack.com/p/educations-c…

eduwonk.substack.com

Education's Conference Problem With Mark Baxter, Plus New WonkyFolk

Dry January for edtech?

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

What does it actually take to move a city's reading scores? 👇

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Looking to track education policy shifts, research, and funding debates? We've curated a Starter Pack featuring top voices, researchers, media, and orgs on #EduPolicy. Perfect for researchers, journalists, and advocates. 👉 go.bsky.app/Qg6LonT #EduSky #HigherEd #AcademicSky #EduResearch

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

9 states here. 50 (+ D.C.) in the analysis. Explore the roughly 390 bills we scanned → bellwether.org/publications...

bellwether.org

Structural Signals: What State Legislative Action Reveals About the Future of Education in 2026 | Bellwether

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Where Schools Draw the Line on AI (~60 bills) ➡️ Illinois (signed): AI can't score a teacher's evaluation. ➡️ Oklahoma (enacted): a person reads the output before it touches a grade. ➡️ Washington (passed Senate): a risk score can't be the only reason a kid gets suspended.

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Rewriting the Rules on Learning and Credentials (~200 bills) ➡️ West Virginia split the diploma into four named pathways — college-prep, workforce, skilled trades, military. ➡️ Kentucky's alternate diploma comes with a state-maintained list of employers willing to hire.

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Maturing School Choice Landscape (~130 bills) ➡️ Utah pulled financial administration out of its universal ESA. ➡️ South Carolina made charter authorizers answer for themselves. ➡️ Indiana let districts turn their own schools into charters — just not authorize them

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Iowa made it legal for a microschool to charge tuition. Kentucky attached a list of employers to a diploma. Illinois told evaluators AI can't score a teacher. 2026 K-12 legislation analysis 🧵 👇

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Many parents significantly underestimate how much they already use AI, but they’re not indifferent to it. The questions that surface most consistently are often practical and immediate: Is AI going to replace my child's teacher? How does it help my child learn? These are entry points.

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

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Bellwether @bellwetherorg.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Read our full analysis on what education leaders should watch in policy this next year: 🔗 bellwether.org/publications...

bellwether.org

Structural Signals: What State Legislative Action Reveals About the Future of Education in 2026 | Bellwether

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