Leadership Blog

Walt Gardner's Reality Check

Walt Gardner taught for 28 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District and was a lecturer in the UCLA Graduate School of Education. This blog is no longer being updated.

Education Opinion Private Schools Are Losing Students
The latest data show that not all parents have given up on traditional public schools.
Walt Gardner, January 15, 2018
1 min read
Education Opinion Substitute Teacher Shortage Is No Surprise
One way to attract qualified subs is to put them on a retainer and pay them a supplement when they are summoned.
Walt Gardner, January 12, 2018
1 min read
Education Opinion Lowering Standards to Attract Teachers
Subject matter expertise is no substitute for pedagogical competency.
Walt Gardner, January 10, 2018
1 min read
Education Opinion Failing to Teach Students How to Read
Failing to teach students how to read handicaps them for life.
Walt Gardner, January 8, 2018
2 min read
Education Opinion Student Absenteeism Solution
High absenteeism will persist as long as students see little connection between their studies and their future plans.
Walt Gardner, January 5, 2018
1 min read
Education Opinion University-School District Partnerships Offer Hope
University-school district partnerships provide a forum for helping teachers become more effective in the classroom.
Walt Gardner, January 3, 2018
1 min read
Education Opinion Equal Opportunities No Guarantee of Equal Outcomes
The achievement gap can never be eliminated but only narrowed.
Walt Gardner, January 1, 2018
1 min read
Education Opinion Charter Schools on Corporate Campuses
When public schools accept an offer to move into a new building on corporate land, they open the door to interference on curriculum and faculty hiring.
Walt Gardner, December 29, 2017
1 min read
Education Opinion Out-of-Control Schools
Teachers have become so sensitized about being accused of prejudice that they tend to overlook behaviors resulting in suspensions in the past.
Walt Gardner, December 27, 2017
1 min read
Education Opinion Computer Literacy's Proper Place in Schools
Basic computing skills are important, but the public has been oversold on their indispensability.
Walt Gardner, December 25, 2017
1 min read
Education Opinion Why Are Graduation Rates Rising?
It's premature to conclude that high teacher expectations are the cause of record high graduation rates.
Walt Gardner, December 22, 2017
1 min read
Education Opinion Does Inclusion Trump All Other Education Concerns?
Fully integrated schools are no assurance of a quality education.
Walt Gardner, December 20, 2017
1 min read
Education Opinion Evaluating Success Academy Charter Schools
Eva Moskowitz's personality makes it difficult to objectively evaluate Success Academy charter schools.
Walt Gardner, December 18, 2017
2 min read
Education Opinion The Price of Academic Success
The fundamental question is whether academic achievement is worth endangering physical and mental health.
Walt Gardner, December 15, 2017
1 min read