This disheartening commentary from The Hill observes that the responses to the pandemic and a faltering economy are increasingly becoming defined simplistically by partisan affiliations rather than by science, evidence or circumstance.  From where I sit, this is a dangerous development that could lead us down a self-destructive path that will make recovery all the more distant and difficult. And suddenly schooling has been thrust into...

In this recent WaPo article, Eric Gordon, chief executive for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District said it best, “We have to have a recovery plan for education … I’m really worried that people think schools and colleges just flipped to digital and everything’s fine and we can just return to normal. That’s simply not the case.” Indeed, the recovery process for learning loss will result in a “generation of...

During this time of catastrophic danger and disruption throughout our country and around the world, people of all walks of life are posing existential questions about the future even while hoping almost desperately for things to just return to normal. Perhaps it is human nature to yearn most intensely for order and the old status quo when those uncontrollable feelings of uncertainty and chaos are most pervasive. But with each passing day...

Charles Desmond, chief executive officer of Inversant In January, 2016, Dr. Charles Desmond, a senior fellow at the New England Board of Higher Education and a higher education policy advisor to former Governor Deval Patrick, was appointed chief executive officer of Inversant, a Boston-based nonprofit that helps families learn about and save for college.  Since 2011, Dr. Desmond has served as a Senior Fellow at the New England Board...

Some clips from long ago