Betsy Wolf

"Reimagining" the Institute of Education Sciences It didn't have to be this way

My response to the "Reimagining the Institute of Education Sciences" report. It didn't have to be this way: betsyjwolf.substack.com/p/reimaginin...

💯. Rats are the battle that none of us wanted, but here we are.

There are some good ideas in here, including things that were already in progress before DOGE cuts. But I don't understand why much of the research workforce had to lose their jobs this past year to implement these changes, and I don't see how some of these changes are possible without researchers.

That is cooperation!

Also: worth reposting that @alevazquezbaur.bsky.social and I were on this beat several years ago.

"[T]heir campaign against these children’s schooling is a trainwreck of moral reasoning." www.the74million.org/article/deny...

They have to troll bc she’s a great candidate.

omg stop! they're sooo cute!

Today @chmnmendelson.bsky.social announced that the 30-day congressional review period, during which a D.C. bill can be repealed, actually wrapped up last night. That means, per his office, that the D.C. tax decoupling bill is the law of the land, and can't be repealed by Congress.

Per @dchealth.bsky.social , there were several cases of measles in the District. Please check the post to see if you could have been exposed between January 21-February 2. Especially important if you were at the March For Life.
dchealth.dc.gov/release/heal...

4th ST SW bike lane not totally clear with snow/icy patches and untouched blocks.

I’m a proud paying subscriber to The 51st, and if you’re upset about the news about the Post today, you should be too. Democracy dies when the free press dies, and there is no freedom under billionaire ownership. 51st.news/signup

Anyone know how we can reach her?

lol YES

The House votes tomorrow on overturning our local tax law. This means:

1. Reversing a tax break for working families
2. Wreaking havoc in the middle of tax filing season
3. Destabilizing DC’s economy by clawing back $600 million
4. Undermining local autonomy

Education Department spent up to $38M paying employees not to work before reinstating them, watchdog reports The Government Accountability Office also reported that the caseload for the department’s Office for Civil Rights increased by an average of 98 cases per week during part of the time that these…

The Government Accountability Office found in a Monday report that the Education Department spent $28.5 million to $38 million on nine months of paid leave for employees in its Office for Civil Rights before ultimately reinstating them to their positions. buff.ly/VUw20qC

Ascendium Education Philanthropy is providing support for researchers working in postsecondary education and workforce development to attend #AEFP2026! @aefpweb.bsky.social

Details and link to application here: aefpweb.org/ascendium-aw...

#EdResearch

Congress is coming after DC's money AGAIN

Last year Congress blew a $1.1 billion hole in DC's budget. Now they're trying to do it again.

Two new bills are attempting to take away nearly $700M of DC's own local tax money. They're anti-democratic, anti-family, and wrong.

Here are four ways you can help stop them: freedcproject.org/money

School was open today for 4 hours, which I’ll take, but families have to scramble either way. Letting parents WFH when possible would be the better course of action.

Wow, this is Baldwin County, AL, where 78% of people voted for Trump.

Here we go again DC.

I think there’s also an effort to push their preferred policies without any accountability or oversight (including research). The question of “does it work” is irrelevant if your goal is to promote your ideology.

Statement from Michael and Susan Pretti Parents of Alex Jeffrey Pretti “We are heartbroken but also very angry. Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact. I do not throw around the ‘hero’ term lightly. However, his last thought and act was to protect a woman. The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He had his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down, all while being pepper sprayed. Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.

Kare 11 local news just read, in full, this statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti.

"Please get the truth out about our son."

a man wearing glasses and a leather jacket is sitting at a desk in a laboratory . ALT: a man wearing glasses and a leather jacket is sitting at a desk in a laboratory .

My take on the summary is that the vast majority of people want research AND we as researchers can do better on some things. A small minority of people don't want research because they want to do whatever they want.

The full 763 pages of public comments below. I tried my best, but apologies if I missed any! drive.google.com/file/d/1Ear7...

Curious about what people said in response to the RFI about "re-imagining" the Institute of Education Sciences (IES)? I put the public comments in one file (763 pages) and used AI to analyze the themes and areas of agreement and disagreement (5 pages) by audience ⬇️: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

This is why we need a plan! DC leaders won’t do it.

What’s the plan to keep kids safe, DC?

Good 🧵 from one scientist to others.

Omg what kind of dog is she?

Stand With Minnesota A directory of places to give to as Minnesota defends itself from ICE occupation

Picked this up from @donmoyn.bsky.social

Website with links to help people in Minnesota.