I never could predict what might happen in Mr. O’Neil’s art classes; I just knew I couldn’t wait for the next assignment. Back then I didn’t realize all the ways this dynamic educator, a rare man of color leading our diverse classroom of second graders, was serving as a pioneer…

During our Department-wide meeting on March 2, I said I wanted you to feel proud, know you are part of something bigger than any one of us, and give your best to do the most for the students of our country. I hope that as we mark 100 days of…

Click here for a copy of this letter in Spanish To our Nation’s Parents and Students: I write first, as your new Secretary of Education, to acknowledge the extraordinarily challenging year you’ve endured. Between the health crisis, economic hardship, staunch national division, and the struggle to make progress in learning…

NOTE: October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month I am Rachel Mast. I am 19 years old. I really love my life. I have a great life, and I love telling people how great my life is. I was born in Memphis. In third grade, my family moved to Olathe, Kansas. …

After three devastating hurricanes struck the Caribbean, the Department of Education undertook a series of actions to support the U.S. Virgin Islands through their recovery process. As part of that effort, ED staff committed to travelling to the Islands to provide resources, assistance, and expertise. In November, as the ED…

Before Trevor Beauchamp of La Crescenta, California, decided it was time to change schools, his greatest challenge was getting to class on time. Trevor was born with spastic cerebral palsy, a condition that severely limits his mobility and requires extra effort, even when walking a few steps. The challenge was…

Toni Airaksinen, a senior at Barnard College in New York, illustrates the powerful impact of school choice and how a student’s potential for prosperity can be supported with access to educational options. — Her daily struggles consisted of parents who were unable to invest in her education, as well as inadequate access to supports, financial resources, and transportation to her desired school. “My family was constantly faced with difficult situations due to our lack of finances. They didn’t have time to worry about…

Today, I’m a junior at Howard University. But things could have turned out differently if I didn’t have the opportunity to pursue a different educational path when I was younger. Thankfully, my parents were given the option to exercise school choice, which is, unfortunately, not the norm for every student…

Looking beyond disaster relief and recovery in Puerto Rico’s hurricane-damaged schools, toward building a better, stronger future for students. “When can I go back to school?” When that experience is disrupted, getting back to school can mean everything to students. …