The prevailing notion, at least nationally, is that Detroit is a lost cause. Families have been moving out of Detroit (and Michigan more generally) for years, one of the country's preeminent research universities continues to lose graduates to big cities, a recent New York Times article about Detroit...

When Adrian Fenty lost the mayoral primary in DC, it was clear that Michelle Rhee's days were numbered. I was working late when the news of her resignation broke--a flood of Facebook posts and chats appeared from distraught friends who are teachers, former AmeriCorps volunteers, and Teach For America alumni....

Mark Zuckerberg's recent $100 million donation to Newark's public schools was a big surprise. Some believe it was a publicity stunt aimed at diverting attention away from any negative publicity from "The Social Network." For Newark, no matter the motive, this infusion of cash will likely make a difference in...