RICCARDS: It’s Time for Parents to Speak Louder in Local School Issues
Patrick Riccards
February 11, 2022
If only I had known that I was a candidate canary in the school board coal mine … It was only a few years ago
RICCARDS: Why Are New Jersey Leaders Not Prioritizing Education to Build Back Better?
Patrick Riccards
April 21, 2021
It was no surprise that the Congressional Progressive Caucus recently released its priorities for the American Jobs Plan. Based on a survey of its 95
RICCARDS: Biden Administration Boldly Declares Importance of Measuring Academic Impact of Pandemic Year
Patrick Riccards
February 23, 2021
Rest easy, Garden State. The Biden Administration and its U.S. Department of Education has now made the tough decision for us. The decision no one
RICCARDS: 48 U.S. States Teach Reading More Effectively Than New Jersey
Patrick Riccards
February 8, 2021
“Follow the science.” For nearly a year now, that has been the mantra governing all decisions regarding New Jersey’s public schools. If we are going
It's Every Student Succeeds Act’s Fifth Anniversary But There's Nothing to Celebrate
Patrick Riccards
December 10, 2020
Five years ago TikTok, the video-sharing social networking platform, didn’t even exist. Today, the New York Times reports that over one-third of its 49 million daily users
Will We Bury Our Heads in the Sand or Get Serious About Covid Learning Loss?
Patrick Riccards
December 1, 2020
“More than ever, it is abundantly clear there is a need for real-time data on where our children stand academically.” – M. Teresa Ruiz, NJ
RICCARDS: A Shortlist for Biden’s Next U.S. Education Secretary
Patrick Riccards
November 9, 2020
Even before President-elect Joe Biden offered his inspiring remarks to the nation this weekend, the social media posts declaring, “bye, Betsy” clearly signaled that the
Oops, Balanced Literacy Doesn’t Work Like We’ve Said It Did for Half a Century. Our Bad.
Patrick Riccards
October 22, 2020
“Pouring over the work of contemporary reading researchers has led us to believe that aspects of balanced literacy need some ‘rebalancing.’” Those words, written by