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Reposted by Michael Dannenberg

Conor P. Williams @conorpwilliams.bsky.social · 19h

Doesn't have to be the @barackobama.bsky.social + @arneduncan.bsky.social one (though I think it has many elements worth reanimating), but we've gotta offer something that's about using public institutions to change policies to make schools fairer and better (while ALSO funding them better).

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · 21h

Education “reform advocates should always want…bipartisan support…[I]t makes for a stronger & more durable coalition,” says @michaelpetrilli.bsky.social True, but sometimes that’s not enough (see NCLB). You need the upper middle class as well. schooledbymikepetrilli.substack.com?utm_campaign...

SCHOOLED | Michael J. Petrilli | Substack

SCHOOLED is Michael J. Petrilli’s twice-weekly newsletter restarting the ed reform conversation. Expect sharp analysis, curated commentary, and lively debates—including from YOU. This is one newslette...

schooledbymikepetrilli.substack.com

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Reposted by Michael Dannenberg

Kevin Carey @kevincarey1.bsky.social · 3d

It's clearer by the day that Columbia making a deal with Trump in July was a catastrophe for higher education as a whole. It gave terrible people a bottomless appetite for extortion. The other eight universities must follow MIT's lead.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

M.I.T. Rejects a White House Offer for Special Funding Treatment

www.nytimes.com

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · 5d

There’s a new campaign asking alumni to urge their alma maters to reject the Trump administration’s latest shakedown of higher ed.

They should start a PAC as well. Use participatory democracy to defeat those who would destroy it. @bluehaveninit.bsky.social

alumni.controlshift.app/petitions/tr...

STAND WITH YOUR SCHOOL: Trump attacks 9 universities. Sign the alumni petition now.

Are you an alum from one of the 9 schools the federal government just attacked? Sign this alumni petition now to support your school, defend democracy, and build a grassroots movement for campus freed...

alumni.controlshift.app

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · 9d

Democrats should go in the opposite direction of Mamdani on gifted programs. There should be more, not fewer of them. And we should reward students who fast track through school.

@rahmemanuel.bsky.social
@joshshapiro.bsky.social
@all4ed.org @crpe.bsky.social

all4ed.org/wp-content/u...

all4ed.org

Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · 9d

My K-12 ed reform recipe list:

1) Time- Think summer learning
2) Teachers- Better trained, better paid
3) Rigor- High standards & acctly for all
4) Relevance- Curricula that resonates & matches the research; &
5) Student Motivation- Policies that facilitate success

@mattyglesias.bsky.social

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Sep 10

Fair enough. Deeper question: Why did Ds give in to the groups and Rs to privatization then and now? My answer? Money, ideology, and (primary) votes. Need to move two of those three. Overcoming one isn’t enough. @welcomepac.bsky.social

Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Sep 10

. @mattyglesias.bsky.social says declining school quality can be largely attributed to Congressional abandonment of test-driven ed reform. I look @ Obama admin NCLB waiver decisions that preceded Cong action. Regardless, the political dynamic @ work was/is the same www.slowboring.com/p/america-st...

America stopped caring how poor kids do in school

The bad new bipartisan consensus behind falling test scores

www.slowboring.com

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Sep 9

Reading Skills Hit a New Low. The real question is why doesn't anyone care? Why doesn't the Democratic Party care? I submit it's because mainly it's the lowest achieving students who are declining. Political power rests with parents of middle & high achieving students www.nytimes.com/2025/09/09/u...

Reading Skills of 12th Graders Hit a New Low

www.nytimes.com

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Aug 28

So, which is it? Clamp down on international students and base policy on (anecdotal) stories of “forever students” OR recognize the contributions international students bring to American higher education and support our higher education trade _surplus_? apnews.com/article/chin...

Trump saying 600,000 Chinese students could come to the US draws MAGA backlash

President Donald Trump has sparked backlash from some members of his loyal base by saying his administration would allow 600,000 Chinese students into American universities.

apnews.com

Reposted by Michael Dannenberg

Peter Ellis @freerangestats.info · Aug 23

The weight given to non-academic criteria ('character', etc) and the discretionary admissions process really are odd characteristics of the US university system. Biased, privilege-protecting results plus lots of resentment is precisely what one would predict this leads to.

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Aug 23

In education and beyond, Democrats need to offer real solutions to that which rightly fuels populist rage. As long as we’re just against Trump without offering compelling, lasting solutions to the ways in which the deck is stacked against working people, we will lose. @dynarski.bsky.social

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Reposted by Michael Dannenberg

Arne Duncan @arneduncan.bsky.social · Aug 1

My take on the threat Trump poses to our system of higher education- America’s crown jewel.
He is destroying the goose that has laid our golden egg, as he attempts to destroy democracy.
We must resist- together!

You can open a free account to read my open letter.

www.chronicle.com/article/an-o...

An Open Letter From Arne Duncan

The former secretary of education weighs in on Trump’s attacks.

www.chronicle.com

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Jul 31

Still waiting on the Trump administration to declare the legacy preference an unlawful violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. It carries just as much if not more of a disparate impact as the DEI policies the Trump administration continues to attack and declare unlawful.

Inside Higher Ed @insidehighered.com · Jul 30

🚨 Breaking News | Justice Department Declares DEI Unlawful

The nine-page memo builds on the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs. bit.ly/4l091FL

#HigherEd #EDUSky #AcademicSky

DOJ Declares Slew of DEI Practices Unlawful in Memo

The nine-page memo builds on the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

bit.ly

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Jul 24

More and more folks are suggesting elite colleges embrace ⁦‪an‬⁩ “abundance agenda” to self-mitigate the effects of the endowment tax. 🤔 ⁦‪
‪@ezraklein.bsky.social ‪@dkthomp.bsky.social ‪@mattyglesias.bsky.social
‪@glastris.bsky.social

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/07/23/m...

Universities are grappling with how to pay new endowment taxes. Some analysts say the answer is to admit more students. - The Boston Globe

More than a dozen schools across the nation are expected to fall under the top tax rate in the new Republican tax and spending law, including Harvard and MIT.

www.bostonglobe.com

Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Jun 30

The tragic fall of #UVa’s Jim Ryan is yet another indication that the Trump administration’s war on higher ed will not abate. Defensive lawsuits are good, but not enough. Time for higher ed to hit back and use participatory democracy to defeat those who would destroy it. #Harvard

Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Jun 27

Higher ed needs to start acting like a forceful special interest. Engage in polling, do msg development, mobilize students, make hard $ campaign contributions, finance soft $ campaigns…Call it the Campaign for Academic Freedom & hire a campaign professional. Do it now www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/u...

University of Virginia President Resigns Under Pressure From Trump Administration

www.nytimes.com

Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Jun 29

It’s politically negligent that the Association of American University Professors doesn’t have a PAC like other interest groups. Scores of #Harvard professors already have pledged 10%(!) of their salaries to help Harvard fight the Trump admin. Imagine that nationally. #UVA @dynarski.bsky.social

Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Jun 27

Higher ed needs to start acting like a forceful special interest. Engage in polling, do msg development, mobilize students, make hard $ campaign contributions, finance soft $ campaigns…Call it the Campaign for Academic Freedom & hire a campaign professional. Do it now www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/u...

University of Virginia President Resigns Under Pressure From Trump Administration

www.nytimes.com

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Jun 27

Higher ed needs to start acting like a forceful special interest. Engage in polling, do msg development, mobilize students, make hard $ campaign contributions, finance soft $ campaigns…Call it the Campaign for Academic Freedom & hire a campaign professional. Do it now www.nytimes.com/2025/06/27/u...

University of Virginia President Resigns Under Pressure From Trump Administration

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Michael Dannenberg

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · Jun 22

Five things to remember about war:

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Jun 20

The House GOP “Big, [Not] Beautiful Bill” is replete with massive financial aid cuts - over $330 BILLION worth. And yet there’s barely a peep about it from elected Dems who rightly focus on even larger Medicaid cuts. Still, think about what the lack of attention to education says about where we are.

Contact Congress NOW to Oppose Cuts to Student Aid Programs

Please contact your representatives and senators now to urge them to oppose FY 2025 funding cuts for federal student aid programs such as Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Gran...

www.votervoice.net

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · Jun 19

End of course exams are working in North Carolina. Other states should take heed. @michaelpetrilli.bsky.social

The end of MCAS is the end of an era. Now let’s figure out what comes next.

With the number of states requiring students to pass exams in order to earn a diploma now down to the single digits, this feels like the end of an era. What should we do now? Let’s start by getting th...

fordhaminstitute.org

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · May 12

The federal endowment tax (and massive GOP proposed increase) applies only to colleges with over $500,000 in wealth per student. If colleges subject to the current endowment tax let in enough more students, they could escape the tax entirely. #Abundance @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social @dkthomp.bsky.social

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Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · May 12

A progressive elite higher ed acctly agenda: Cap tuition at super-wealthy colleges that needlessly charge working class & poor students; Condition tax-exempt status on getting rid of unfair admission practices; & Link the endowment tax to working class enrollment. www.nydailynews.com/2019/12/27/a...

A college access wakeup call for Dems

There’s a rumor in D.C., and it’s one that could pose a challenge for Democrats. There’s buzz in Washington that President Trump, concerned about a populist challenge from the lef…

www.nydailynews.com

Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · May 12

There’s no effort by the GOP to leverage the endowment tax to improve education opportunity. Not a penny raised by their proposed tax increase goes to education. Not even for Pell students. It all goes to tax cuts for the rich. Dems should offer an alternative www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

House Republicans Propose Significant Endowment Tax Increase

The current endowment excise tax of 1.4 percent could soon expand to numerous institutions and soar to as high as 21 percent for some, depending on value per student.

www.insidehighered.com

Michael Dannenberg @mdannenberg1.bsky.social · May 11

Democrats should’ve gotten out front on the elite college access issue yrs ago. The below op-ed says among other things the size of the endowment tax should be linked to rich colleges’ enrollment of their fair share of talented working-class & low-income students. www.nydailynews.com/2019/12/27/a...

A college access wakeup call for Dems

There’s a rumor in D.C., and it’s one that could pose a challenge for Democrats. There’s buzz in Washington that President Trump, concerned about a populist challenge from the lef…

www.nydailynews.com

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