Region XIII

Education and educational choice are so much in the news right now that I feel like I should have a coherent stance on them all: charter schools, vouchers (especially for special education students), merit pay, high stakes testing, and more. The truth is, I don't really have a clue. As much as the progressive in me shrinks at the private interests that seem to be encroaching on our public education systems, I also know that change is a constant and that those systems need help.

That is sort of a roundabout way of introducing my real news, which is that I have accepted a job with Region XIII, our local Education Service Center.

I will be working with an amazing team of educators whose focus is on improving access to the general curriculum for students receiving special education services. We provide services like professional development sessions, teacher training, classroom materials, and more. So what student population do I wind up supporting? Exceptional learners -- on a very large scale.

I am both very excited and very nervous about this position. The people and the team at Region XIII are extraordinary and it will take my very best work to live up to their standards. My years in private schools have been very rewarding, both in terms of the students I have supported and the parents I have met, but I am very, very excited to be working for the public system.

Read more about Region XIII here. I will continue to offer support to individual students and families through the Exceptional Paths site. And since this position requires me to be more involved in education at the public sector, I will be now using my twitter account: @mwholloway.

-- MH