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Education in Flux: The Continued Federal Push to Dismantle the U.S. Department of Education
Explore the continued federal push to dismantle the Department of Education and its disastrous consequences for K-12 students. Learn how these changes will impact public education long after this administration is over.

Marianne Burke, PhD
Aug 42 min read


Compromise Achieved: How the Proposed Budget Will Impact Public Education
Explore how the budget compromise will impact public education in Virginia. Discover key changes and their positive effects on K-12 funding today.

Marianne Burke, PhD
Jun 255 min read


First Look: Public Review of Fairfax County School Boundary Scenarios
Make sure you take time to check out the Fairfax County school boundary scenarios out for public review. Learn about the process and what is still to come.

Vanessa Hall
Jun 3, 20256 min read


The General Assembly has Decisions to Make about Public Funds and Education
On April 2nd the General Assembly will enter another session where legislators will decide on whether to accept, amend, or reject Governor Y

Marianne Burke, PhD
Mar 31, 20254 min read


Just say NO to Private School Vouchers
Learn the true cost of private school vouchers on students, families, and their communities. Just say NO to vouchers.

Marianne Burke, PhD
Mar 21, 20256 min read


At the Statehouse: End of General Assembly Session
The 2025 General Assembly Session ended on February 22. Sadly, bills that called for improved funding for public education were defeated in the legislature. This was even after the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) recommended there be substantial increases in funding for Virginia’s public schools as these school systems are seriously underfunded. All six of 4 Public Education’s priority bills failed, as have some other bills that 4 Public Education suppor

Marianne Burke, PhD
Feb 26, 20253 min read


At the Statehouse: Few Priority Education Bills Remain and Budget Negotiations are Impending
February 4th was Crossover, which is the last day for each chamber to act on its own bills. After that date, all bills that passed in each chamber crossed over to the other chamber for consideration. By February 6th proposed amendments to the existing budget by the Governor and the money committees of both chambers were published online. February 20th is the last day legislators can act on bills and appoint conferees, and February 22nd is the day this legislative session adjo

Marianne Burke, PhD
Feb 13, 20254 min read


Support LGBTQIA Students and Their Peers by Protecting Sex Education
Join the FLE Committee on February 12th from 7-9pm at Gatehouse It is a year with a number in it, so you can be sure that Fairfax Public School (FCPS) volunteers on committees are hard at work. Few committees are as attacked as the Family Life Education (FLE) committee which provides suggestions to modify the sex education curriculum in FCPS to ensure that it is scientifically accurate, age-appropriate, accessible, and relevant for kids in the 21st Century. This year, the FLE

Vanessa Hall
Feb 3, 20252 min read


Keep Funding and Freedom To Learn in Our Public Schools. Act Now.
Contact Congress about Two Anti-Public School Executive Orders Two recent federal Executive Orders (EOs) on public education have been taken directly from Project 2025, Mandate for Leadership and are attempts by the Trump administration to usurp Congress’s authority and the state and local authority. It is time for public school advocates to tell their members of Congress to insist these orders be rescinded. 1. Public Education Funds SHOULD NOT be used for Scholarships for

Marianne Burke, PhD
Feb 3, 20254 min read


DEI is Civil Rights
DEmyst-I-fied from a K-12 Perspective Author's Forward: (January 31, 2025): Earlier this week, 4PE approached me about republishing my post on DEI written last year. Just in one week... one day, not only has DEI become a dirty word, but now it's executive ordered out of our lexicon, soon to be out of all levels of government. You can Google all of the anti-DEI EOs and corporate capitulation to know that we're in dangerous times where only dominant culture is valued and cent

Anjy Cramer
Feb 1, 20256 min read


At the Virginia Statehouse: Priority Education Bills are In Play
This is the second full week of the 2025 General Assembly and all 4 Public Education’s priority education bills are still in play, either...

Marianne Burke, PhD
Jan 28, 20254 min read


Four Reasons the Governor’s Accountability Framework Should NEVER Be Implemented
The question of what makes a good school has never been more complicated, and questions like “What are we educating students for?” have never been more relevant. Those are questions Virginia educators have long asked. Unfortunately, the most recently proposed answers from the Governor and Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) are not what kids, grads, or Virginia need. There are four important reasons the Governor’s VDOE School Performance and Support Framework (Framework)

Cheryl Binkley
Jan 28, 20258 min read


Las amenazas de deportación afectan la educación de los estudiantes desde preescolar hasta el 12.º grado
La cuestión Como si los estudiantes de primaria y secundaria no tuvieran suficientes preocupaciones, ahora algunos enfrentan la amenaza de la deportación forzada de ellos mismos, de sus padres y/o de sus amigos. La promesa del presidente electo de deportar a millones de inmigrantes indocumentados ha inquietado a los estudiantes inmigrantes, a sus padres y a sus comunidades. Su amenaza de poner fin a la ciudadanía por derecho de nacimiento añade una capa adicional de crueldad

Marianne Burke, PhD
Dec 17, 20246 min read


Is Cruelty the Point? Deportation Threatens Our Public School Communities.
As if K-12 students didn’t have enough to worry about, now, some face the threat of forced deportation.

Marianne Burke, PhD
Dec 17, 20245 min read


Fordham and Petrilli on Virginia Public Schools: Desire, Influence, and Controversy
Michael Petrilli Wants Virginia and He Wants Her Bad The Thomas B. Fordham Institute labels itself as “America's leading education reform...

Cheryl Binkley
Oct 15, 20244 min read


Unite against LGBTQ+ Hate
The Financial and Emotional Costs of anti-LGBTQ+ Rhetoric In the first two weeks of Pride month, I have been struck by increased hate, fear, and anger against the LGBTQ+ community, specifically against our schools. As a mom and active school volunteer, I find this concerning because I know how harmful it is to students, educators, and families. Not only are these wild accusations and misinformation scary, but they also make parents and guardians feel threatened for the safety

Vanessa Hall
Jun 15, 20244 min read


Good and Bad News about Virginia’s K-12 Education Budget
While we are celebrating that our K-12 education funding priorities are funded for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, we must remember that,...

Marianne Burke, PhD
May 16, 20245 min read


Crossover Looming at the Statehouse
The pace has picked up in Virginia’s General Assembly as we approach some key deadlines. ‘Crossover’ is February 13, the deadline by which legislators must complete work on bills originating in the House of Delegates or the Senate. Any bills that have not passed their respective chamber will be left behind for this legislative session. In addition, deadlines loom for each chamber to complete their budget amendment bills. The House Appropriations and the Senate Finance an

Marianne Burke, PhD
Feb 7, 20243 min read


Priority Education Bills are Advancing at the Statehouse
February 3rd will end the third week of the 2024 Session of Virginia’s General Assembly. At the time of this writing, one priority education bill has cleared the Senate (SB14) and most of the other priority education bills 4 Public Education endorses are working their way through the committees. One of the bills we opposed (SJ9) was defeated. The early success this year is at least in part due to the vigorous support of these bills by public education advocates who have been

Marianne Burke, PhD
Feb 1, 20243 min read


Gaslighting the Public: Manufactured SAT Crisis (1 of 3)
Governor Youngkin continues to gaslight the public by manufacturing problems that he continues to blame on public schools in Virginia. It worked stunningly to get him elected in 2021; nevertheless, parents are weary of Youngkin’s empty claim that he is the “education governor.” This November, all of the Virginia General Assembly and many school board seats are up for election, thus the Governor and his supporters are repeating the tired claim that Virginia K-12 schools are fa

Marianne Burke, PhD
Aug 30, 20233 min read
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Isn't it Past Time to Abandon Standardized Testing?
Discover why it's time to abandon standardized testing. Explore the impact on students and educators, and why now is the time to move on from standardized testing.


Judge Dismisses Anti-Trans Lawsuit Citing Lack of Standing to Sue
Judge dismisses anti-trans lawsuit due to lack of standing, protecting FCPS students, policies, and taxpayer resources. Learn how this impacts Fairfax County.


Choose School Board Candidates (Like These!) Who Reflect your Education Values
Discover why School Board candidates should reflect education values to ensure public education supports your community's needs. Learn more today!
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