Authoritarian regimes always seek to destroy educational institutions. It is happening. I know the work that I did, and the missions of these organizations, was important and constitutional. The elimination of these groups hurts our children and our country.

Neither group was fraudulent, wasteful, or unconstitutional. Rather, they provided a needed and valuable service to communities and teachers. Their cancellation is alarming and wrong.

This week I found out that both of these groups have been eliminated by DOGE.

The other group I’m involved with is a workgroup that is helping to revamp the What Works Clearinghouse, a website that offers free, research-based instructional methods to any district, school, or teacher that wants it. This is so important for districts that can’t afford expensive curriculums.

These findings would be made into webinars, infographics, and other media that states, districts and schools around the country could use.

Topics that were researched during my tenure included career readiness, post-pandemic student mental health, the effectiveness of disciplinary actions in schools, and effective writing instruction in the early grades. Other RELs provided research and resources about technology and math.