Thirty years ago a groundbreaking report from the National Commission on Excellence in Education brought a national focus on education and the dire conditions of many of America’s schools. Published in 1983, the opening lines of A Nation At Risk were direct and chilling. The report declared that “….the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a Nation and a people…If an unfriendly foreig

It’s the time of year when each day your mailbox overflows with unwanted holiday catalogs, bills from online retailers for holiday gifts you really can't afford, and family photos of cute cousins and endless tall tales of their amazing exploits during the last year. In addition to these annual end-of-year letters, you will certainly also receive an army of appeals from nonprofits seeking a charitable donation. From housing to food shelters, college endowments to church capita