Josh Cowen
@joshcowenmi.bsky.social
Fmr. Congressional Candidate (D); Author; Professor; Dad, Husband, Christian, Critic of Right-Wing Billionaires.
The school reform paradox is that we do need to invest in school improvement plans—done with parents and educators, not just to them.
But the main metrics available to gauge reform outcomes push many parents away.
I’m not anti-testing, but many parents are.
Via @nytimes.com👇
But the main metrics available to gauge reform outcomes push many parents away.
I’m not anti-testing, but many parents are.
Via @nytimes.com👇
November 25, 2025 at 12:29 PM
The school reform paradox is that we do need to invest in school improvement plans—done with parents and educators, not just to them.
But the main metrics available to gauge reform outcomes push many parents away.
I’m not anti-testing, but many parents are.
Via @nytimes.com👇
But the main metrics available to gauge reform outcomes push many parents away.
I’m not anti-testing, but many parents are.
Via @nytimes.com👇
Reposted by Josh Cowen
There is no secret, latent supply of educators just ready to jump into the field. These jobs must be routinely invested in and incentivized.
As I’ve written, a key flaw in edu-reform plans from right and center-right candidates is disregard for labor supply.
Actions like this make it even worse.
As I’ve written, a key flaw in edu-reform plans from right and center-right candidates is disregard for labor supply.
Actions like this make it even worse.
Whether a degree is considered "professional" will influence how much reimbursement a student receives for their higher education.
Full List of Degrees Not Classed As ‘Professional’ by Trump Admin
www.newsweek.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:48 PM
There is no secret, latent supply of educators just ready to jump into the field. These jobs must be routinely invested in and incentivized.
As I’ve written, a key flaw in edu-reform plans from right and center-right candidates is disregard for labor supply.
Actions like this make it even worse.
As I’ve written, a key flaw in edu-reform plans from right and center-right candidates is disregard for labor supply.
Actions like this make it even worse.
Reposted by Josh Cowen
An entirely predictable and predicted result.
As any veteran of the school voucher wars could tell you, the thing about right-wing education plans is they aren’t just bad.
They’re bad in ways knowable in advance.
And “give it time” usually means it’ll get worse not better.
As any veteran of the school voucher wars could tell you, the thing about right-wing education plans is they aren’t just bad.
They’re bad in ways knowable in advance.
And “give it time” usually means it’ll get worse not better.
The Education Department gave another agency power to distribute money. It hasn’t gone smoothly.
The Education Department gave another agency power to distribute money. It hasn’t gone smoothly.
Critics say issues with accessing federal career and technical education funding could preview bigger problems when the Trump administration starts to outsource more of the Education Department’s responsibilities to other agencies.
dlvr.it
November 24, 2025 at 11:00 PM
An entirely predictable and predicted result.
As any veteran of the school voucher wars could tell you, the thing about right-wing education plans is they aren’t just bad.
They’re bad in ways knowable in advance.
And “give it time” usually means it’ll get worse not better.
As any veteran of the school voucher wars could tell you, the thing about right-wing education plans is they aren’t just bad.
They’re bad in ways knowable in advance.
And “give it time” usually means it’ll get worse not better.
Reposted by Josh Cowen
NEW: Thanksgiving week recap of the last few weeks, featuring @rweingarten.bsky.social and other leaders.
Key themes: renewing public schools, and the need for Democrats to build out their own plans for school improvement.
Key themes: renewing public schools, and the need for Democrats to build out their own plans for school improvement.
November 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM
NEW: Thanksgiving week recap of the last few weeks, featuring @rweingarten.bsky.social and other leaders.
Key themes: renewing public schools, and the need for Democrats to build out their own plans for school improvement.
Key themes: renewing public schools, and the need for Democrats to build out their own plans for school improvement.
Reposted by Josh Cowen
Read the full newsletter here!
open.substack.com/pub/joshcowe...
open.substack.com/pub/joshcowe...
Recap: Interviews and Articles on Dems and Schools
“The problem with education policymakers,” Randi Weingarten told me, “is they are ingrained to see challenges from only one viewpoint”—making reform on and to, rather than with parents and educators.
open.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Read the full newsletter here!
open.substack.com/pub/joshcowe...
open.substack.com/pub/joshcowe...
An entirely predictable and predicted result.
As any veteran of the school voucher wars could tell you, the thing about right-wing education plans is they aren’t just bad.
They’re bad in ways knowable in advance.
And “give it time” usually means it’ll get worse not better.
As any veteran of the school voucher wars could tell you, the thing about right-wing education plans is they aren’t just bad.
They’re bad in ways knowable in advance.
And “give it time” usually means it’ll get worse not better.
The Education Department gave another agency power to distribute money. It hasn’t gone smoothly.
The Education Department gave another agency power to distribute money. It hasn’t gone smoothly.
Critics say issues with accessing federal career and technical education funding could preview bigger problems when the Trump administration starts to outsource more of the Education Department’s responsibilities to other agencies.
dlvr.it
November 24, 2025 at 11:00 PM
An entirely predictable and predicted result.
As any veteran of the school voucher wars could tell you, the thing about right-wing education plans is they aren’t just bad.
They’re bad in ways knowable in advance.
And “give it time” usually means it’ll get worse not better.
As any veteran of the school voucher wars could tell you, the thing about right-wing education plans is they aren’t just bad.
They’re bad in ways knowable in advance.
And “give it time” usually means it’ll get worse not better.
There is no secret, latent supply of educators just ready to jump into the field. These jobs must be routinely invested in and incentivized.
As I’ve written, a key flaw in edu-reform plans from right and center-right candidates is disregard for labor supply.
Actions like this make it even worse.
As I’ve written, a key flaw in edu-reform plans from right and center-right candidates is disregard for labor supply.
Actions like this make it even worse.
Whether a degree is considered "professional" will influence how much reimbursement a student receives for their higher education.
Full List of Degrees Not Classed As ‘Professional’ by Trump Admin
www.newsweek.com
November 24, 2025 at 4:48 PM
There is no secret, latent supply of educators just ready to jump into the field. These jobs must be routinely invested in and incentivized.
As I’ve written, a key flaw in edu-reform plans from right and center-right candidates is disregard for labor supply.
Actions like this make it even worse.
As I’ve written, a key flaw in edu-reform plans from right and center-right candidates is disregard for labor supply.
Actions like this make it even worse.
NEW: Thanksgiving week recap of the last few weeks, featuring @rweingarten.bsky.social and other leaders.
Key themes: renewing public schools, and the need for Democrats to build out their own plans for school improvement.
Key themes: renewing public schools, and the need for Democrats to build out their own plans for school improvement.
November 24, 2025 at 12:01 PM
NEW: Thanksgiving week recap of the last few weeks, featuring @rweingarten.bsky.social and other leaders.
Key themes: renewing public schools, and the need for Democrats to build out their own plans for school improvement.
Key themes: renewing public schools, and the need for Democrats to build out their own plans for school improvement.
My father Mark Cowen retired and then spent the last few years reading and writing about Raoul Wallenberg, the architect who saved countless people during the Holocaust.
His book is now available!
May the need to read these stories become one day less relevant.
His book is now available!
May the need to read these stories become one day less relevant.
November 23, 2025 at 8:03 PM
My father Mark Cowen retired and then spent the last few years reading and writing about Raoul Wallenberg, the architect who saved countless people during the Holocaust.
His book is now available!
May the need to read these stories become one day less relevant.
His book is now available!
May the need to read these stories become one day less relevant.
Reposted by Josh Cowen
ICYMI: Jill Underly, Wisconsin’s statewide elected schools chief, beat back Mu$k’s political attacks to win re-election.
Now, she tells me she Democrats need to take back the initiative on education.
Now, she tells me she Democrats need to take back the initiative on education.
November 22, 2025 at 12:52 PM
ICYMI: Jill Underly, Wisconsin’s statewide elected schools chief, beat back Mu$k’s political attacks to win re-election.
Now, she tells me she Democrats need to take back the initiative on education.
Now, she tells me she Democrats need to take back the initiative on education.
More than 1 million people saw this post yesterday on X.
There are a lot of great Democrats running for Congress, but Bridget is just at a different level of seriousness.
We’re really lucky to have her back home in the fight.
There are a lot of great Democrats running for Congress, but Bridget is just at a different level of seriousness.
We’re really lucky to have her back home in the fight.
I served as our Ambassador in Ukraine for 3 years under Putin’s missiles and drones but resigned when Trump kept appeasing Putin. America does not bow to dictators. It’s not who we are.
Here's why this Trump-Putin so-called "peace plan" is a disaster:
Here's why this Trump-Putin so-called "peace plan" is a disaster:
November 23, 2025 at 2:43 PM
More than 1 million people saw this post yesterday on X.
There are a lot of great Democrats running for Congress, but Bridget is just at a different level of seriousness.
We’re really lucky to have her back home in the fight.
There are a lot of great Democrats running for Congress, but Bridget is just at a different level of seriousness.
We’re really lucky to have her back home in the fight.
Reposted by Josh Cowen
Do school voucher programs really increase academic achievement and opportunity? @joshcowenmi.bsky.social says no—and he has receipts. Learn why vouchers are “a failed strategy for educational opportunity” in the new #AmericanEducator: aft.org/ae/fall2025/cowen
November 21, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Do school voucher programs really increase academic achievement and opportunity? @joshcowenmi.bsky.social says no—and he has receipts. Learn why vouchers are “a failed strategy for educational opportunity” in the new #AmericanEducator: aft.org/ae/fall2025/cowen
ICYMI: Jill Underly, Wisconsin’s statewide elected schools chief, beat back Mu$k’s political attacks to win re-election.
Now, she tells me she Democrats need to take back the initiative on education.
Now, she tells me she Democrats need to take back the initiative on education.
November 22, 2025 at 12:52 PM
ICYMI: Jill Underly, Wisconsin’s statewide elected schools chief, beat back Mu$k’s political attacks to win re-election.
Now, she tells me she Democrats need to take back the initiative on education.
Now, she tells me she Democrats need to take back the initiative on education.
Reposted by Josh Cowen
I suspect the culture war is part of why polls show voters still trust Democrats more than GOP on schools—despite education falling as a top-tier Dem issue.
Hard to show parents you’ll focus on the ABCs when all you do is ban books etc
Still, Dems can’t be complacent on this.
Hard to show parents you’ll focus on the ABCs when all you do is ban books etc
Still, Dems can’t be complacent on this.
In culture war backlash, Democrats sweep school boards
In culture war backlash, Democrats sweep school boards
The party recruited and invested in school board races to oust Republicans. It worked.
dlvr.it
November 21, 2025 at 3:42 PM
I suspect the culture war is part of why polls show voters still trust Democrats more than GOP on schools—despite education falling as a top-tier Dem issue.
Hard to show parents you’ll focus on the ABCs when all you do is ban books etc
Still, Dems can’t be complacent on this.
Hard to show parents you’ll focus on the ABCs when all you do is ban books etc
Still, Dems can’t be complacent on this.
Reposted by Josh Cowen
A substantial portion of current MI GOP and Duggan education ideas have already been tried in whole or in part here over the last decade.
This reform began under Snyder.
The Partnership model is a hybrid of turnaround and other approaches—I think doing more good than not.
This reform began under Snyder.
The Partnership model is a hybrid of turnaround and other approaches—I think doing more good than not.
A new list of schools that meet the qualifications for state oversight was also released.
68 Michigan schools released from state oversight, including many in Detroit area
A new list of schools that meet the qualifications for state oversight was also released.
bit.ly
November 21, 2025 at 2:18 PM
A substantial portion of current MI GOP and Duggan education ideas have already been tried in whole or in part here over the last decade.
This reform began under Snyder.
The Partnership model is a hybrid of turnaround and other approaches—I think doing more good than not.
This reform began under Snyder.
The Partnership model is a hybrid of turnaround and other approaches—I think doing more good than not.
Reposted by Josh Cowen
A message from VFRL President & Chairman: @bridgetbrink.com has built a career on service and moral courage. She resigned under Trump rather than support a foreign policy she knew was wrong, and she put her life on the line in Ukraine to stand with democracy. MI-07 deserves a leader like her.
November 21, 2025 at 4:36 PM
A message from VFRL President & Chairman: @bridgetbrink.com has built a career on service and moral courage. She resigned under Trump rather than support a foreign policy she knew was wrong, and she put her life on the line in Ukraine to stand with democracy. MI-07 deserves a leader like her.
I suspect the culture war is part of why polls show voters still trust Democrats more than GOP on schools—despite education falling as a top-tier Dem issue.
Hard to show parents you’ll focus on the ABCs when all you do is ban books etc
Still, Dems can’t be complacent on this.
Hard to show parents you’ll focus on the ABCs when all you do is ban books etc
Still, Dems can’t be complacent on this.
In culture war backlash, Democrats sweep school boards
In culture war backlash, Democrats sweep school boards
The party recruited and invested in school board races to oust Republicans. It worked.
dlvr.it
November 21, 2025 at 3:42 PM
I suspect the culture war is part of why polls show voters still trust Democrats more than GOP on schools—despite education falling as a top-tier Dem issue.
Hard to show parents you’ll focus on the ABCs when all you do is ban books etc
Still, Dems can’t be complacent on this.
Hard to show parents you’ll focus on the ABCs when all you do is ban books etc
Still, Dems can’t be complacent on this.
A substantial portion of current MI GOP and Duggan education ideas have already been tried in whole or in part here over the last decade.
This reform began under Snyder.
The Partnership model is a hybrid of turnaround and other approaches—I think doing more good than not.
This reform began under Snyder.
The Partnership model is a hybrid of turnaround and other approaches—I think doing more good than not.
A new list of schools that meet the qualifications for state oversight was also released.
68 Michigan schools released from state oversight, including many in Detroit area
A new list of schools that meet the qualifications for state oversight was also released.
bit.ly
November 21, 2025 at 2:18 PM
A substantial portion of current MI GOP and Duggan education ideas have already been tried in whole or in part here over the last decade.
This reform began under Snyder.
The Partnership model is a hybrid of turnaround and other approaches—I think doing more good than not.
This reform began under Snyder.
The Partnership model is a hybrid of turnaround and other approaches—I think doing more good than not.
Reposted by Josh Cowen
“Sending education back to the states” would in theory give state leaders like Underly more authority. But she tells me:
“We absolutely need a federal Department of Education. Without a strong federal partner [it’s] the opposite of what public education is meant to be.”
“We absolutely need a federal Department of Education. Without a strong federal partner [it’s] the opposite of what public education is meant to be.”
WI’s statewide elected schools chief is Dr @underlyforwi.bsky.social
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
November 20, 2025 at 10:25 PM
“Sending education back to the states” would in theory give state leaders like Underly more authority. But she tells me:
“We absolutely need a federal Department of Education. Without a strong federal partner [it’s] the opposite of what public education is meant to be.”
“We absolutely need a federal Department of Education. Without a strong federal partner [it’s] the opposite of what public education is meant to be.”
Reposted by Josh Cowen
Michigan folks: one thing I ask Underly about is the plan floating around to make Michigan’s Supt of Education a direct appointee of the governor.
WI’s statewide elected schools chief is Dr @underlyforwi.bsky.social
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
November 20, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Michigan folks: one thing I ask Underly about is the plan floating around to make Michigan’s Supt of Education a direct appointee of the governor.
“Sending education back to the states” would in theory give state leaders like Underly more authority. But she tells me:
“We absolutely need a federal Department of Education. Without a strong federal partner [it’s] the opposite of what public education is meant to be.”
“We absolutely need a federal Department of Education. Without a strong federal partner [it’s] the opposite of what public education is meant to be.”
WI’s statewide elected schools chief is Dr @underlyforwi.bsky.social
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
November 20, 2025 at 10:25 PM
“Sending education back to the states” would in theory give state leaders like Underly more authority. But she tells me:
“We absolutely need a federal Department of Education. Without a strong federal partner [it’s] the opposite of what public education is meant to be.”
“We absolutely need a federal Department of Education. Without a strong federal partner [it’s] the opposite of what public education is meant to be.”
Michigan folks: one thing I ask Underly about is the plan floating around to make Michigan’s Supt of Education a direct appointee of the governor.
WI’s statewide elected schools chief is Dr @underlyforwi.bsky.social
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
November 20, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Michigan folks: one thing I ask Underly about is the plan floating around to make Michigan’s Supt of Education a direct appointee of the governor.
WI’s statewide elected schools chief is Dr @underlyforwi.bsky.social
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
November 20, 2025 at 12:08 PM
WI’s statewide elected schools chief is Dr @underlyforwi.bsky.social
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
This spring running for re-election she was a political target.
She weighs in on Trump & the US Dept of Education, and tells me Democrats can’t just defend public schools—we also need a bold plan forward.
In 5 Questions👇
Reposted by Josh Cowen
ICYMI: I took a shot at explaining why Democrats have been slow to put forward a positive vision for education—and the opportunity there if they do.
We need to resist the urge to make policy on—rather than with—parents and educators.
With comments from @rweingarten.bsky.social & others.
We need to resist the urge to make policy on—rather than with—parents and educators.
With comments from @rweingarten.bsky.social & others.
November 19, 2025 at 12:06 PM
ICYMI: I took a shot at explaining why Democrats have been slow to put forward a positive vision for education—and the opportunity there if they do.
We need to resist the urge to make policy on—rather than with—parents and educators.
With comments from @rweingarten.bsky.social & others.
We need to resist the urge to make policy on—rather than with—parents and educators.
With comments from @rweingarten.bsky.social & others.