REFORM

Apr 21 2026EDUCATION

Schooling Beyond the Classroom: California’s Creative Learning Experiment

When the pandemic turned classrooms into screens, many parents hurried to find alternatives that didn’t leave their children staring at a laptop all day. One family in Southern California decided to take learning into their own hands. They blended homeschooling with small-group teaching, focusing on

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Apr 20 2026POLITICS

A quick chat between two influential leaders in New York City

New York City’s mayor sat down with a former president over the weekend at a local daycare center in the Bronx. The meeting wasn’t just about politics—it was about kids. Both leaders talked about how important early education is for young children in the city. Mayor Mamdani has been pushing hard for

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Apr 19 2026EDUCATION

Mississippi’s Reading Revival: A Blueprint for Change

Mississippi once hovered at the bottom of national reading rankings, but a shift began in 2013 when new leadership embraced a science‑based approach to literacy. The plan moved beyond simple phonics; it involved overhauling standards, assessments, and accountability to focus on the most struggling s

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Apr 19 2026POLITICS

A Mayor and a Former President Share a Story Hour in NYC

Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor, recently spent Saturday morning surrounded by kids and parents at a Bronx childcare center. His guest? Barack Obama. Instead of a boardroom chat, the two leaders spent time reading picture books with toddlers, a moment that stood out from typical political inte

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Apr 18 2026POLITICS

India’s Parliament Blocked a Big Plan for Women’s Seats

A major plan in India just got rejected, one that would have set aside a third of seats in parliament and state assemblies for women. The government wanted this change, but it got stuck on a tricky detail: expanding the number of lawmakers at the same time. This made opponents suspicious. They said

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Apr 17 2026POLITICS

Women’s Role in India’s Parliament Set for Major Boost

India is considering big changes to its political system, aiming to make parliament bigger and set aside more seats for women. The proposed laws would increase the number of lawmakers by over half, bringing the total to 850 in the lower house. At the same time, one-third of these seats would be rese

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Apr 15 2026POLITICS

Presidential Powers Under the Spotlight

Presidents now have powers that look more like royal privileges than democratic tools. Two key abilities stand out: they can pardon anyone without limits, and recent court rulings say they can’t be prosecuted for official actions. These powers weren’t always this broad. The pardon tool was meant for

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Apr 15 2026POLITICS

Keeping Great Teachers in Pennsylvania’s Classrooms

Pennsylvania is spending time and money to train new teachers, but too many leave after just a few years. That waste of resources hurts students the most. Two lawmakers—one who became a teacher and another who went into public service—teamed up to propose a solution. They believe the state should in

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Apr 14 2026OPINION

Revisiting a law and rethinking how Native housing gets built

Thirty years ago, a law changed how Native communities handle their own housing needs. Instead of waiting for distant agencies to decide what to build, tribes gained control over planning, budgets, and priorities. That shift led to more homes, quicker repairs, and local jobs. But progress didn’t sol

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Apr 14 2026CRIME

Settlement in Police Shooting Case Raises Concerns Over Crisis Response

In mid-2024, a quiet neighborhood in Wadsworth became the center of a tragic incident when Shannon Sloan lost his life in a confrontation with police. The case began after Sloan had an argument with his wife about her stepson’s vape pen, which escalated into a heated discussion. Sloan, visibly distr

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