There are signs that we are reaching an inflection point on teacher empowerment. Are teachers ready to be unshackled and enabled to teach each student as they see fit?

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Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Patrick Riccards is chief communications and strategy officer for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. He is also the author of the nationally recognized Eduflack blog and its companion Twitter feed. PR News named Pat the Not-for-Profit Communications Professional of the Year for his work in teacher preparation and higher education transformation (2015). A former local school board chairman, Patrick is also the author of the award-winning Dadprovement.

Many in education have lamented the excesses of high-stakes accountability and standardized testing. We now see evidence of a potential rollback on testing from the DOE. Are we looking at a reason for celebration or concern?

Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork

Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Patrick Riccards is chief communications and strategy officer for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. He is also the author of the nationally recognized Eduflack blog and its companion Twitter feed. PR News named Pat the Not-for-Profit Communications Professional of the Year for his work in teacher preparation and higher education transformation (2015). A former local school board chairman, Patrick is also the author of the award-winning Dadprovement.

Given the number of public schools serving Dreamers and teachers who are dependent on DACA, the national immigration battle is coming to a school near you.

Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork

Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Patrick Riccards is chief communications and strategy officer for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. He is also the author of the nationally recognized Eduflack blog and its companion Twitter feed. PR News named Pat the Not-for-Profit Communications Professional of the Year for his work in teacher preparation and higher education transformation (2015). A former local school board chairman, Patrick is also the author of the award-winning Dadprovement.

It's back-to-school time across the nation. So why are things so quiet at the US Department of Education?

Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Patrick Riccards is chief communications and strategy officer for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. He is also the author of the nationally recognized Eduflack blog and its companion Twitter feed. PR News named Pat the Not-for-Profit Communications Professional of the Year for his work in teacher preparation and higher education transformation (2015). A former local school board chairman, Patrick is also the author of the award-winning Dadprovement.

The events in Charlottesville demonstrated that democracy is dangerous in practice. This is why University of Virginia administrators encouraged its students to stay away from the protests. Is this the message we want to send to the next generation?

Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Patrick Riccards is chief communications and strategy officer for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. He is also the author of the nationally recognized Eduflack blog and its companion Twitter feed. PR News named Pat the Not-for-Profit Communications Professional of the Year for his work in teacher preparation and higher education transformation (2015). A former local school board chairman, Patrick is also the author of the award-winning Dadprovement.

This week the Trump administration placed challenging race-baed college admissions on the education policy priority list. Why?

Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork Patrick Riccards is chief communications and strategy officer for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. He is also the author of the nationally recognized Eduflack blog and its companion Twitter feed. PR News named Pat the Not-for-Profit Communications Professional of the Year for his work in teacher preparation and higher education transformation (2015). A former local school board chairman, Patrick is also the author of the award-winning Dadprovement.

Here is a novel idea. Let's reframe the debate about charter schools in a way that could actually be productive.

Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork

Patrick Riccards is chief communications and strategy officer for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. He is also the author of the nationally recognized Eduflack blog and its companion Twitter feed. PR News named Pat the Not-for-Profit Communications Professional of the Year for his work in teacher preparation and higher education transformation (2015). A former local school board chairman, Patrick is also the author of the award-winning Dadprovement.

If you're are having trouble making sense of the DOE policies over the last six months, you're not alone. Where are we headed?

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Patrick Riccards is chief communications and strategy officer for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. He is also the author of the nationally recognized Eduflack blog and its companion Twitter feed. PR News named Pat the Not-for-Profit Communications Professional of the Year for his work in teacher preparation and higher education transformation (2015). A former local school board chairman, Patrick is also the author of the award-winning Dadprovement.

Join me in taking a sober, candid look at our evolving attitudes on the value of higher education.

Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork

Patrick Riccards is chief communications and strategy officer for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. He is also the author of the nationally recognized Eduflack blog and its companion Twitter feed. PR News named Pat the Not-for-Profit Communications Professional of the Year for his work in teacher preparation and higher education transformation (2015). A former local school board chairman, Patrick is also the author of the award-winning Dadprovement.

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision could remove a major roadblock to school vouchers.

Follow: @Eduflack @bamradionetwork

Patrick Riccards is chief communications and strategy officer for the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. He is also the author of the nationally recognized Eduflack blog and its companion Twitter feed. PR News named Pat the Not-for-Profit Communications Professional of the Year for his work in teacher preparation and higher education transformation (2015). A former local school board chairman, Patrick is also the author of the award-winning Dadprovement.