nation’s leading voice on education innovation and opportunity.
SUMMER SLIDE... the phenomenon in which students lose key skills by not reading at the same intensity or pace as they do throughout the year - no doubt happens to adults too as we turn off of our constant focus on the issues in favor of more fun! So as to not have to return to the grind unequipped for a challenging year, here is a brief ‘Summertime Study Guide’ to Slow the Summer Slide!
WHAT MAKES EDUCATION WORK? Lots of things, most notably making sure all students have the education that most fits their needs and ambitions. According to Robert Robb, called “the Dean of Arizona political journalists” it's charter schools. Robb credits these edreform institutions for successful public schools in general in the Grand Canyon state. Taken alone, he says, Arizona charter schools would rank among the highest performing school systems in the country. This helps all public schools he adds, because competition helps everyone. Arizona is on the front lines of the union’s continued and curious opposition against charter schools.
ARTISTS NEED CREDENTIALS NOW TO TEACH? Such is the conclusion of what we’d call a rather uninformed California Assemblyman, who believes that charters should lose their freedom to hire real artists to teach the arts, unless they have a teaching credential. That’s like saying we should require mathematicians to have a teaching credential to teach math… oh wait, we do…..which is why more than 60% of math teachers are not trained in math… and according to results on the Nation’s Report Card it shows!
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SCHOOLS HAVE FREEDOM AND FLEXIBILITY. For those who prefer listening over reading on your summer slide study program, join our #SummertimewithCER series as we rewind the best conversations we’ve had this year with notable education leaders. This week, tune into Reality Check w/Jeanne Allen for A Conversation with Eva Moskowitz, CEO of the Success Academy Network and an innovator and the architect of a revolution. It’s not been without it bumps. “I never felt before I got into education that I was living a Godfather movie,” says Eva – only half joking. Success Academy has been sued more than twenty times by unions. Union battles and political roadblocks have been a part of the landscape since she started her very first school with 150 kindergarteners and first-graders in 2006. But her passion is boundless and her commitment to educating not only her more than 100,000 students but parents and the general public through her book The Education of Eva Moskowitz. “We need everyone to be informed because the stakes are so high.”
ON ED INNOVATION, HIGHER ED AND CHILD CARE… Visual learners can stifle the summer slide by checking out these video highlights from our expanded focus on ensuring robust education opportunities for learners at all levels. Check out these brief TV appearances on Fox & Friends re: the candidates positions on child care and on The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino regarding higher ed; Or take a lesson or two on ed innovation by joining entrepreneurs and thought leaders from CER’s Road to Innovation Summit.
Don’t let your mind slip this summer! Whether you read, listen or watch just be sure to engage, and while you’re doing it, let the children around you know you take learning seriously.
As always, please drop us a line, with any input and suggestions.
Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform aims to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans — particularly our youth — ensuring that conditions are ripe for innovation, freedom and flexibility throughout U.S. education.
And please designate The Center for Education Reform as your charity when shopping through AmazonSmile .
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HACKTIVIST
SHARE MUSIC VIDEO FOR
NEW ALBUM TO BE ANNOUNCED LATER THIS YEAR
AUGUST 6, 2019 - UK grime-metal quintet HACKTIVIST have revealed the video for their brand new single "Dogs Of War." The track, out now via UNFD, follows the band's previous single 'Reprogram' which marked their momentous return earlier this year.
Fans can watch the video for 'Dogs Of War' here: LINK
"Dogs Of War" is also available to stream or purchase now: https://unfd.lnk.to/DogsOfWar
Speaking to the concept behind the video, the band said, "We wanted to address the fact that war has now become a normalised part of everyday life and how it's increasingly clear that it's being conducted in the name of control and profit. The other factor is that, as much as we're all dogs of war being dragged into one international campaign after another, it's the armed forces on all sides who are being used and exploited to an even higher degree."
"Dogs Of War" was also inspired by anti-war material that co-vocalist J Hurley had been researching during the writing and recording of the song, which included a series of talks by Mark Passio and George Orwell's themes of "double think" and "news speak.
Next month, HACKTIVIST will return to the studio to record their newest album. A band that have played on Reading & Leeds and Download Festival main stages and toured alongside Korn and Enter Shikari, HACKTIVIST are fired up with a reignited passion as they prepare to record their new album - ready to show the world what they are truly made of.
The quintet recently supported Gojira in Amsterdam and appeared at Submit Fest and Taman Festival, and have additional European live dates set for later this year. Details on new tour dates, as well as an upcoming album, will be announced soon.
In a world where nobody knows the entire truth about why we're here, who built the pyramids and what they were for, why we have such a destructive nature towards our planet and ourselves...A world where the only thing we know for sure is that we are living in a well-constructed downward spiral and the technologies that were supposed to make things better are of course making us worse. In a world where any attempt to find the truth or talk about these systematic anomalies got labelled as a "conspiracy theory" - finally the conspiracies are stepping out of the darkness and theories are being proven daily. As Science Fiction is becoming more and more factual and it's getting very clear that we are on the brink of a revolution of sorts, HACKTIVIST are here to paint a silver lining around our clouded society. With not only a musical revolution of their own, continually blending genres in a way like no others, H also represents a voice that isn't afraid of saying what needs to be said. They are already living in the future, you have the choice to either be shaped by it or to stand up with them and help shape it together. They're HACKTIVIST, they're H, are you?
Stay Updated on HACKTIVIST:
Website: www.hacktivist.uk.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Hacktivistband
Twitter: www.twitter.com/hacktivistuk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/hacktivistuk
Upcoming Shows:
8/2 - Golubitskaya RU, Krasnodar Taman (Taman Festival)
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Here’s why you need a will, word count: 727
and how to get one
By Chris Hogan
We all want to do nice things for our loved ones. We go on family trips and celebrate life's wins together. It's sometimes difficult for us to consider the bad things that can happen in life, but we still have to be prepared. That's why having a will is so important!
Not having a will in place leaves room for arguments among your loved ones and anyone else who might pop up wanting a piece of your stuff. That’s not okay! The last thing you want to do is add more stress to their lives after you’re gone. This is your legacy we’re talking about here. Do you want to leave that to chance?
Protecting your wealth—and your family—with a will is one of the best gifts you can leave to those you love. And with August being National Make-a-Will Month, there’s no better time to get yours done.
What exactly is a will, and why is it important to have one?
Your grieving family members won’t automatically know what you wanted them to do with your money or your stuff—you need to tell them. That’s where your will comes in.
A will basically establishes a plan for how your stuff is distributed after you die. It’s your way of saying exactly who gets what and what goes where—and getting it down in writing.
According to a recent survey conducted by Ramsey Research, almost three out of four parents with kids (74%) don’t have a will in place. That’s a big problem!
How do you make a will?
Yanking out a sheet of paper and scribbling “My family gets all my stuff” isn’t going to cut it. But making a will really isn’t that hard. And in most cases, you don’t even need to go to an expensive lawyer to get one done.
Here are seven quick steps that will help you create a will that sticks:
1. Decide what to include in your will. This includes a list of your savings and investment accounts, plus the paperwork for your home and any other real estate you own. You also might want to include valuable possessions, like jewelry or cars.
2. Select your beneficiaries. Now you’ll get to decide how your stuff is split up and who gets what. Maybe you want half of your assets to go to your surviving spouse while the other half is split evenly between your kids. Whatever it is, get it in writing!
3. Choose an executor for your will. The executor is the person who will read the will and make sure that your wishes explained in the will are carried out.
4. Name guardians for your children. If you have young children, you need to decide who will take care of them after you’re gone.
5. Sign your will in front of witnesses. Don’t forget this step! A written will is not valid unless it’s signed and dated by the one writing the will, notarized by a notary public, and signed by two witnesses.
6. Let everyone know beforehand. Your will shouldn’t be a mystery novel. Do yourself a favor and read your will to your beneficiaries before you’re gone. Taking away the element of surprise could save a lot of headaches for them later on.
7. Store your will someplace safe. Make sure you put your will, along with other important documents, someplace that is waterproof, fireproof and accessible for loved ones to find. I personally have a wooden box of folders that contains my will and all related documents, filed nicely in a safe place where my family can easily reach it.
And if you need a helpful guide, this will preparation checklist can help you decide what you need to have in your will before you create one.
Don’t wait another day to get your will!
Once you’ve really thought through what you want to include in your will, you can prepare it in 20 minutes or less. There are plenty of places online that make it easy for you to create a will that’s specific to the state where you live.
No matter how much or how little you own, you need a will. Your loved ones will already be going through a lot when you pass away, and you don’t want to add stress to an already stressful situation.
About Chris Hogan
Chris Hogan is a #1 national best-selling author, dynamic speaker, and financial expert. For more than a decade, Hogan has served at Ramsey Solutions, spreading a message of hope to audiences across the country as a financial coach and Ramsey Personality. Hogan challenges and equips people to take control of their money and reach their financial goals through The Chris Hogan Show, his national TV appearances, and live events across the nation. His second book, Everyday Millionaires: How Ordinary People Built Extraordinary Wealth — And How You Can Too, is based on the largest study of millionaires ever conducted. You can follow Hogan on Twitter and Instagram at @ChrisHogan360 and online at chrishogan360.com or facebook.com/chrishogan360.
