Rachel M. Perera
@rachelmarisa.bsky.social
👩🏽💻 Research & write about k-12 ed policy @ Brookings
💖 Stationery, books, coffee, & reality tv
🏆 Once voted best penmanship
💖 Stationery, books, coffee, & reality tv
🏆 Once voted best penmanship
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
New at Can We Still Govern: The IRS is a key agency and its decline is emblematic of Trump-era mismanagement.
@vanessawilliamson.bsky.social & Eliis Chen lay out the questions that Democrats should be asking its new leader.
Incredibly informative piece.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/five-quest...
@vanessawilliamson.bsky.social & Eliis Chen lay out the questions that Democrats should be asking its new leader.
Incredibly informative piece.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/five-quest...
Five Questions for IRS CEO Frank Bisignano
The IRS has a new leader – maybe he can tell us whats happening
donmoynihan.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:17 PM
New at Can We Still Govern: The IRS is a key agency and its decline is emblematic of Trump-era mismanagement.
@vanessawilliamson.bsky.social & Eliis Chen lay out the questions that Democrats should be asking its new leader.
Incredibly informative piece.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/five-quest...
@vanessawilliamson.bsky.social & Eliis Chen lay out the questions that Democrats should be asking its new leader.
Incredibly informative piece.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/five-quest...
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
New evidence on how ICE is affecting student learning
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1erU5Oe0vJYdVjuqQi4sfhUGxS0BGjWl8/view?usp=drivesdk
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1erU5Oe0vJYdVjuqQi4sfhUGxS0BGjWl8/view?usp=drivesdk
November 10, 2025 at 10:40 AM
New evidence on how ICE is affecting student learning
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1erU5Oe0vJYdVjuqQi4sfhUGxS0BGjWl8/view?usp=drivesdk
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1erU5Oe0vJYdVjuqQi4sfhUGxS0BGjWl8/view?usp=drivesdk
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
We are doing a pilot survey about how prospective PhD students in PSYCHOLOGY make decisions about applying to grad programs. If you are thinking of applying to a program in the future, and have 2-5 minutes to spare, could you take this survey? 🫶
northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
November 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM
We are doing a pilot survey about how prospective PhD students in PSYCHOLOGY make decisions about applying to grad programs. If you are thinking of applying to a program in the future, and have 2-5 minutes to spare, could you take this survey? 🫶
northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
[GIFT LINK] Lots of folks are sharing this incisive commentary from @tressiemcphd.bsky.social on the Nazi tattoo candidate and the Democrats' insistence that we have to tolerate a smidge of racism to appeal to the working class.
She, of course takes, that apart.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/o...
She, of course takes, that apart.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/o...
Opinion | A Nazi Tattoo Exposes Democrats’ Greatest Weakness
www.nytimes.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:33 PM
[GIFT LINK] Lots of folks are sharing this incisive commentary from @tressiemcphd.bsky.social on the Nazi tattoo candidate and the Democrats' insistence that we have to tolerate a smidge of racism to appeal to the working class.
She, of course takes, that apart.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/o...
She, of course takes, that apart.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/o...
For context, 87% of school-aged kids are enrolled in public schools in the US.*
(* a statistic we only know because of work the US Dept of ED used to do to collect vital data on our nation's schools)
(* a statistic we only know because of work the US Dept of ED used to do to collect vital data on our nation's schools)
Those influencing Trump education policy aren't shy about wanting to eradicate public schools.
Asked what % of kids she imagines should be in public schools, Tiffany Justice -- Moms for Liberty cofounder, now with Heritage Foundation -- told @propublica.org
“I hope zero. I hope to get to zero.”
Asked what % of kids she imagines should be in public schools, Tiffany Justice -- Moms for Liberty cofounder, now with Heritage Foundation -- told @propublica.org
“I hope zero. I hope to get to zero.”
These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.
Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...
www.propublica.org
October 8, 2025 at 2:09 PM
For context, 87% of school-aged kids are enrolled in public schools in the US.*
(* a statistic we only know because of work the US Dept of ED used to do to collect vital data on our nation's schools)
(* a statistic we only know because of work the US Dept of ED used to do to collect vital data on our nation's schools)
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
Those influencing Trump education policy aren't shy about wanting to eradicate public schools.
Asked what % of kids she imagines should be in public schools, Tiffany Justice -- Moms for Liberty cofounder, now with Heritage Foundation -- told @propublica.org
“I hope zero. I hope to get to zero.”
Asked what % of kids she imagines should be in public schools, Tiffany Justice -- Moms for Liberty cofounder, now with Heritage Foundation -- told @propublica.org
“I hope zero. I hope to get to zero.”
These Activists Want to Dismantle Public Schools. Now They Run the Education Department.
Under Trump, the Department of Education has been bringing in activists hostile to public schools. It could mean a new era of private and religious schools boosted by tax dollars — and the end of publ...
www.propublica.org
October 8, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Those influencing Trump education policy aren't shy about wanting to eradicate public schools.
Asked what % of kids she imagines should be in public schools, Tiffany Justice -- Moms for Liberty cofounder, now with Heritage Foundation -- told @propublica.org
“I hope zero. I hope to get to zero.”
Asked what % of kids she imagines should be in public schools, Tiffany Justice -- Moms for Liberty cofounder, now with Heritage Foundation -- told @propublica.org
“I hope zero. I hope to get to zero.”
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
Becky Pepper-Jackson is the only transgender girl in school sports in the entire state of West Virginia.
Soon, she'll be at the Supreme Court defending the freedom of all trans kids to be themselves on and off the playing field.
Soon, she'll be at the Supreme Court defending the freedom of all trans kids to be themselves on and off the playing field.
What’s at Stake as the Supreme Court Takes Up Transgender Sports Bans | ACLU
How one West Virginia teenager could shape the future of Title IX and civil rights protections for transgender youth.
www.aclu.org
September 29, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Becky Pepper-Jackson is the only transgender girl in school sports in the entire state of West Virginia.
Soon, she'll be at the Supreme Court defending the freedom of all trans kids to be themselves on and off the playing field.
Soon, she'll be at the Supreme Court defending the freedom of all trans kids to be themselves on and off the playing field.
More evidence that the wealthiest communities accrue the most benefits from universal private school choice programs.
www.brookings.edu/articles/uni...
www.brookings.edu/articles/uni...
Universal school choice programs mostly benefit the wealthy unless policymakers act to prevent it | Brookings
Authors analyze six states’ universal school choice programs, showing how income rules shape who benefits most.
www.brookings.edu
September 24, 2025 at 6:01 PM
More evidence that the wealthiest communities accrue the most benefits from universal private school choice programs.
www.brookings.edu/articles/uni...
www.brookings.edu/articles/uni...
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
the most important thing to remember when you see eugenicists who don’t believe that autistic people should exist rambling about “the autism epidemic” is not that they’re wrong about the “cause” (although they are absolutely wrong about it); it’s that they are eugenicists
September 23, 2025 at 5:20 PM
the most important thing to remember when you see eugenicists who don’t believe that autistic people should exist rambling about “the autism epidemic” is not that they’re wrong about the “cause” (although they are absolutely wrong about it); it’s that they are eugenicists
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
Are you a recent IRS civil servant? I would like to interview you!
Details below, including my contact info -- or reach out via Bsky!
Details below, including my contact info -- or reach out via Bsky!
September 19, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Are you a recent IRS civil servant? I would like to interview you!
Details below, including my contact info -- or reach out via Bsky!
Details below, including my contact info -- or reach out via Bsky!
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
i have said this before but when “getting rid of race in admissions” for the administration means “you can’t even try to reach out to underrepresented communities and encourage them to apply and if you do it is illegal discrimination against white people” then the actual goal here is segregation
Harvard Ends Undergraduate Minority Recruitment Program as Trump Targets Race in Admissions | News | The Harvard Crimson
By ending the minority recruitment program in May, Harvard shuttered a more than 50-year-old initiative to encourage minority high school students to apply.
www.thecrimson.com
September 15, 2025 at 12:16 PM
i have said this before but when “getting rid of race in admissions” for the administration means “you can’t even try to reach out to underrepresented communities and encourage them to apply and if you do it is illegal discrimination against white people” then the actual goal here is segregation
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
This is a great resource! @rachelmarisa.bsky.social @brookings.edu
The status of litigation against the Trump administration’s K-12 education agenda: A guide for education leaders www.brookings.edu/articles/the...
The status of litigation against the Trump administration's K-12 education agenda: A guide for education leaders | Brookings
Rachel M. Perera and co-authors track litigation over President Trump’s K-12 orders, showing courts have blocked key actions.
www.brookings.edu
September 11, 2025 at 9:23 PM
This is a great resource! @rachelmarisa.bsky.social @brookings.edu
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
“awful people don’t deserve to be killed, but they don’t deserve to be praised, either” is apparently a thought too complex for the pundit mind
September 11, 2025 at 1:47 PM
“awful people don’t deserve to be killed, but they don’t deserve to be praised, either” is apparently a thought too complex for the pundit mind
🚨Our new @brookings.edu data tool tracking ongoing litigation against the Trump admin's K-12 education agenda is now live!
The tracker, to be updated monthly, provides up-to-date info on the status of lawsuits challenging Trump's K-12 related executive actions.
www.brookings.edu/articles/tra...
The tracker, to be updated monthly, provides up-to-date info on the status of lawsuits challenging Trump's K-12 related executive actions.
www.brookings.edu/articles/tra...
Tracking lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s K-12 education agenda | Brookings
Education scholars track ongoing litigation resulting from the Trump administration’s executive actions related to K-12 education.
www.brookings.edu
September 9, 2025 at 8:02 PM
🚨Our new @brookings.edu data tool tracking ongoing litigation against the Trump admin's K-12 education agenda is now live!
The tracker, to be updated monthly, provides up-to-date info on the status of lawsuits challenging Trump's K-12 related executive actions.
www.brookings.edu/articles/tra...
The tracker, to be updated monthly, provides up-to-date info on the status of lawsuits challenging Trump's K-12 related executive actions.
www.brookings.edu/articles/tra...
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
This looks really interesting! Also check out the lawsuit tracker -
Lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s K-12 education agenda www.brookings.edu/articles/tra...
Lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s K-12 education agenda www.brookings.edu/articles/tra...
September 9, 2025 at 6:19 PM
This looks really interesting! Also check out the lawsuit tracker -
Lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s K-12 education agenda www.brookings.edu/articles/tra...
Lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s K-12 education agenda www.brookings.edu/articles/tra...
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
please help us spread the word about this mentorship opportunity for writers of color & share it with anyone you think might be interested!
Periplus, a mentorship collective serving US-based early-career writers of color, is now accepting applications for our 2026 class of fellows! Apply by 9/20: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
You can learn more about Periplus (including fellowship eligibility requirements) here: bit.ly/periplusfaq
You can learn more about Periplus (including fellowship eligibility requirements) here: bit.ly/periplusfaq
PERIPLUS: An FAQ
PERIPLUS: AN FAQ Updated August 2025 Hi! Thanks for your interest in Periplus, a mentorship collective serving U.S. writers who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. We're glad you’re here. Rea...
bit.ly
September 3, 2025 at 4:49 PM
please help us spread the word about this mentorship opportunity for writers of color & share it with anyone you think might be interested!
Join us for an online @brookings.edu event Mon 9/15 @ 4PM, ET to discuss the state of the Trump administration's K-12 education agenda with education & legal scholars & civil rights attorneys.
Submit questions in advance via email or the registration form!
www.brookings.edu/events/what-...
Submit questions in advance via email or the registration form!
www.brookings.edu/events/what-...
What the Trump administration legally can and can’t do to implement its agenda in public schools | Brookings
Join Brookings for an online discussion on litigation challenging the Trump administration’s executive actions related to K-12 education.
www.brookings.edu
September 3, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Join us for an online @brookings.edu event Mon 9/15 @ 4PM, ET to discuss the state of the Trump administration's K-12 education agenda with education & legal scholars & civil rights attorneys.
Submit questions in advance via email or the registration form!
www.brookings.edu/events/what-...
Submit questions in advance via email or the registration form!
www.brookings.edu/events/what-...
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
New, from me:
America is no longer a functioning democracy. It is a competitive authoritarian system, hurtling rapidly toward authoritarianism.
This was a hard piece to write but we can't move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we are.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-author...
America is no longer a functioning democracy. It is a competitive authoritarian system, hurtling rapidly toward authoritarianism.
This was a hard piece to write but we can't move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we are.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-author...
The authoritarian checklist
It is time to admit that America is no longer a functioning democracy
donmoynihan.substack.com
August 28, 2025 at 1:19 PM
New, from me:
America is no longer a functioning democracy. It is a competitive authoritarian system, hurtling rapidly toward authoritarianism.
This was a hard piece to write but we can't move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we are.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-author...
America is no longer a functioning democracy. It is a competitive authoritarian system, hurtling rapidly toward authoritarianism.
This was a hard piece to write but we can't move forward if we don’t acknowledge where we are.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-author...
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
Fascinating work by Deven Carlson, @t-h-a-d.bsky.social, James Carter, @rachelmarisa.bsky.social, Vitali Radsky, and Andrew McEachin on both the potential of school choice for the purpose of desegregation and the disappointing reality that most school choice systems tend to exacerbate segregation
A new article in AERJ observed the relationship between school choice policy and school segregation, finding that White and Asian families disproportionately used the choice system to avoid schools with large concentrations of Black students. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/...
Structuring Choice Policy, School Segregation and the Two-Staged School Choice Process - Deven Carlson, Thurston Domina, James Carter, Rachel M. Perera, Vitaly Radsky, Andrew McEachin, 2025
School choice is both an important tool for school desegregation policy and an enabler of racial segregation. In this paper, we used a two-stage model of comple...
journals.sagepub.com
August 21, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Fascinating work by Deven Carlson, @t-h-a-d.bsky.social, James Carter, @rachelmarisa.bsky.social, Vitali Radsky, and Andrew McEachin on both the potential of school choice for the purpose of desegregation and the disappointing reality that most school choice systems tend to exacerbate segregation
I cannot stop shouting about how much I loved AUGUST LANE by Regina Black. One of my favorite romances I've read this year. (I've been reading a lot of romance novels this year...)
So @reginablackwrites.bsky.social’s new one is a masterpiece: August Lane has an absent country legend mother and an ex who stole her song and abandoned her for superstardom. Now both mom and ex are in town for a concert, but only one of them wants to make amends. Top romance of this year so far.
August Lane
From the author of The Art of Scandal comes a small town romance about the visibility of Black women’s voices in country music, for readers of The Final Re...
www.grandcentralpublishing.com
August 20, 2025 at 6:56 PM
I cannot stop shouting about how much I loved AUGUST LANE by Regina Black. One of my favorite romances I've read this year. (I've been reading a lot of romance novels this year...)
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
I bet that reading Andrea Long Chu on Thomas Chatteron Williams will brighten up my day. www.vulture.com/article/post...
Zero Tolerance
Five years after the George Floyd protests, many liberals blame “wokeness” for stifling open debate. So why can’t they handle being disagreed with?
www.vulture.com
August 5, 2025 at 3:12 PM
I bet that reading Andrea Long Chu on Thomas Chatteron Williams will brighten up my day. www.vulture.com/article/post...
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
Columbia and Brown, by settling, have encouraged this tactic. Authoritarians are emboldened by capitulation, and they won't stop until the cost outweighs the benefits.
Breaking: NSF is suspending roughly 300 grants with UCLA, following a DOJ finding on Tuesday that the university violated Title VI by "creating a hostile educational environment for Jewish and Israeli students."
July 31, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Columbia and Brown, by settling, have encouraged this tactic. Authoritarians are emboldened by capitulation, and they won't stop until the cost outweighs the benefits.
"Higher education policy in the United States is now being developed through ad hoc deals, a mode of regulation that is not only inimical to the ideal of the university as a site of critical thinking but also corrosive to the democratic order and to law itself."
balkin.blogspot.com/2025/07/regu...
balkin.blogspot.com/2025/07/regu...
Balkinization: Regulation by Deal Comes to Higher Ed
A group blog on constitutional law, theory, and politics
balkin.blogspot.com
July 25, 2025 at 1:54 PM
"Higher education policy in the United States is now being developed through ad hoc deals, a mode of regulation that is not only inimical to the ideal of the university as a site of critical thinking but also corrosive to the democratic order and to law itself."
balkin.blogspot.com/2025/07/regu...
balkin.blogspot.com/2025/07/regu...
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
In this piece I specifically call out academics happy with the policy changes mandated by the administration
Government coercion can be used in a number of ways - be careful for what you wish for!
Government coercion can be used in a number of ways - be careful for what you wish for!
July 25, 2025 at 1:29 PM
In this piece I specifically call out academics happy with the policy changes mandated by the administration
Government coercion can be used in a number of ways - be careful for what you wish for!
Government coercion can be used in a number of ways - be careful for what you wish for!
Reposted by Rachel M. Perera
I think it’s worth noting this piece generated the most unsubscribes I’ve seen in a while, and the newsletter version had the lowest open rate in many months. These horrors persist in part because too many people go to great pains to avoid them.
July 24, 2025 at 2:32 AM
I think it’s worth noting this piece generated the most unsubscribes I’ve seen in a while, and the newsletter version had the lowest open rate in many months. These horrors persist in part because too many people go to great pains to avoid them.