Betsy Wolf
SWDC Parent, Ed Researcher, Lover of Graphs, #DCStatehood, 🐺 🏃🏻♀️ 🚴♀️. Re-posts != endorsements and posts are my own. https://betsyjwolf.substack.com
- Reposted by Betsy WolfI’m a proud paying subscriber to The 51st, and if you’re upset about the news about the Post today, you should be too. Democracy dies when the free press dies, and there is no freedom under billionaire ownership. 51st.news/signup
- This sounds familiar... 🤔 But growing a newsroom from the ground up takes time and money — and frankly, we need way more resources than we have now to fill this massive gap. You can help us build the newsroom D.C. deserves: 51st.news/signup
- Reposted by Betsy WolfAnyone know how we can reach her?
- Reposted by Betsy WolfThe House votes tomorrow on overturning our local tax law. This means: 1. Reversing a tax break for working families 2. Wreaking havoc in the middle of tax filing season 3. Destabilizing DC’s economy by clawing back $600 million 4. Undermining local autonomy
- Reposted by Betsy WolfThe Government Accountability Office found in a Monday report that the Education Department spent $28.5 million to $38 million on nine months of paid leave for employees in its Office for Civil Rights before ultimately reinstating them to their positions. buff.ly/VUw20qC
- Reposted by Betsy WolfAscendium Education Philanthropy is providing support for researchers working in postsecondary education and workforce development to attend #AEFP2026! @aefpweb.bsky.social Details and link to application here: aefpweb.org/ascendium-aw... #EdResearch
- Reposted by Betsy WolfLast year Congress blew a $1.1 billion hole in DC's budget. Now they're trying to do it again. Two new bills are attempting to take away nearly $700M of DC's own local tax money. They're anti-democratic, anti-family, and wrong. Here are four ways you can help stop them: freedcproject.org/money
- Wow, this is Baldwin County, AL, where 78% of people voted for Trump.
- #GVerse So Republican Alabama Rep.Barry Moore held a town hall in Baldwin County where he was asked why immigrants aren’t getting due process & he said they aren’t allowed it & his constituents let him know he was full of crap & it’s a violation of the Constitution & he fled out the back
- Here we go again DC.
- Reposted by Betsy WolfKare 11 local news just read, in full, this statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti. "Please get the truth out about our son."
- Curious about what people said in response to the RFI about "re-imagining" the Institute of Education Sciences (IES)? I put the public comments in one file (763 pages) and used AI to analyze the themes and areas of agreement and disagreement (5 pages) by audience ⬇️: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
- The full 763 pages of public comments below. I tried my best, but apologies if I missed any! drive.google.com/file/d/1Ear7...
- My take on the summary is that the vast majority of people want research AND we as researchers can do better on some things. A small minority of people don't want research because they want to do whatever they want.
- What’s the plan to keep kids safe, DC?
- This is Liam. He's 5. My story: sahanjournal.com/education/ic...
- Good 🧵 from one scientist to others.
- A few months ago @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social and I talked to @mattsheffield.bsky.social about how science and democracy are linked. That caught the attention of the anti-science crew. “Crank”* Paul Thacker objected, see below. But I stand by it. Science and free speech are under attack. 1/
- Reposted by Betsy WolfPicked this up from @donmoyn.bsky.social Website with links to help people in Minnesota.
- Reposted by Betsy WolfInteresting: For all the hate D.C.'s traffic cameras get, there seems to be some evidence drivers are responding by not speeding, running red lights and so on. Below is data on traffic camera tickets from 12/2024 to 12/2025. There was a pretty steady decline for most of 2025.
- Follow this starter pack for the best eating and dining recommendations in DC, formerly on the bird app.
- Alright this is very embarrassing but here it is: go.bsky.app/SKRMWooat://did:plc:wba3smotebrgouszvj5innh4/app.bsky.graph.starterpack/3mcgrrjwxnn2s
- Reposted by Betsy WolfSaint Paul schools will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare for optional online learning. I’ve seen schools close for snow, for pandemic, for natural disaster. I’ve never seen schools close because of threat from our own government.
- Absolute abuse of authority.
- Democracy is dying in broad daylight, @washingtonpost.com: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
- Reposted by Betsy Wolf@thehillishome.com/ @popville.bsky.social readers may find this of interest: petition to include a sauna and jacuzzi at the new Rumsey Aquatic Center (rather than the currently proposed “tech lounge” and “business incubator,” odd for a community pool) sign.moveon.org/petitions/wa...
- Reposted by Betsy WolfIES is the federal agency with the second largest reduction in staff this year, narrowly behind USAID
- A long-awaited update of federal employment data shows crippling staff reductions in some federal agencies and offices: www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
- Take a survey on celebrity singers rank choice voting style! I must add though that the tool should not let you submit more than one response at each rank.
- NEWS: The D.C. Board of Elections has published its new website with information on ranked-choice voting and a interactive sample ballot where you get to rank five of your favorite singers. (Aretha, no contest. No Mariah on there? Sad.) Check it out here: vr.dcboe.org/253434754272...
- Reposted by Betsy WolfNEWS: In a report detailing an October public hearing on MPD's cooperation with ICE, @brianneknadeau.bsky.social says that @mayorbowser.dc.gov should rescind the mayoral order that allows local police to work with federal agencies and the D.C. Council should strengthen the sanctuary-city law.
- Reposted by Betsy WolfThese shootings, and the more aggressive stance that federal agents have taken in many U.S. cities, can create a vicious cycle. Say someone with a record is pulled over. If they're afraid a federal agent is involved, might they be more likely to try and run?
- I don’t understand the end goal here. Kill more pedestrians in DC? What if that’s you or your staff?
- From Chicago: What happens when school climate ratings are released?
- Forthcoming in AEJ: Economic Policy: "The Value of School Social Climate Information: Evidence from Chicago Housing Transactions" by Rene A. Crespin. www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=...
- Reposted by Betsy WolfOther people are real and the United States should not murder them
- Reposted by Betsy WolfIn the last half of 2025, the President of OpenAI donated $25 million to the SuperPAC MAGA, Inc — the single largest contributor
- No!!!
- 2025 was a rough year for the education sector. This 🧵 outlines some of the major cuts and areas of destruction.
- This !@#$% year in review: the wrecking ball that was February 2025 brought the abrupt end to many Institute of Education Sciences contracts for data collection, evaluation and research. www.brookings.edu/articles/cut... 🧵
- Reposted by Betsy WolfUSPS quietly changed its postmark rules — mail is no longer dated when you drop it off. The “official” date is when it hits automated sorting — sometimes days later Which could have major implications for mail in voting — it’s a clever way to disenfranchise voters that’s going largely overlooked
- Reposted by Betsy Wolf🖊️ Good news, DC! You can now get Notary Public services at the MLK Library. Need help with a Power of Attorney, ID copies, or real estate paperwork? Stop by the 2nd floor on the 2nd and 3rd Saturdays of the month, 10 AM–1PM. Learn more: bit.ly/4pEnGcR
- Reposted by Betsy WolfFree DC has been an incredible grassroots response to the relentless federal attacks against our city. At a time when DC residents were told they have no voice and no say, @freedcproject.bsky.social empowered people to speak up and take concrete actions in defense of our communities and Home Rule.
- This reminds me of the movie, Leave the World Behind 💀☠️
- Reposted by Betsy Wolf"This promise of an AI future, is really just a collective anxiety that wealthy people have about how well they're gonna be able to control us in the future." - @tressiemcphd.bsky.social with an absolute mic drop moment about AI bullshit. Incredible words. Listen to all of it!
- Reposted by Betsy WolfInteresting: New data from @brookings.edu shows that spending in D.C. dropped significantly when President Trump deployed the National Guard in mid-August. Similarly, hotel revenue has been on a steady decline since mid-summer. www.brookings.edu/articles/con...
- We need local leaders willing to represent the majority of their constituents.
- Glad to see this work by #sanfordstudent published on the problems of translating effect sizes in educational research into months/years of learning. People assume the same annual growth (in a grade) on any test when it actually differs quite a lot across tests. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
- Reposted by Betsy WolfNEWS: At-Large Councilember Anita Bonds will try to delay ranked-choice voting's rollout at next Tuesday's D.C. Council session. She has an emergency bill that would push RCV to 2027, instead of it being used next year. She says there isn't enough time for outreach and education.
- My favorite event of the season!
- Let's gooooooooo!
- The DC I know is worth fighting for. I’m Janeese Lewis George, and I’m running for Mayor. youtu.be/aOBD45c3wVM
- Reposted by Betsy WolfThe partisan divide has grown, too. The wealthiest 100 tended to give more to Republicans than to Democrats before last year. But giving to the GOP spiked in 2024, with *84%* of donations going to back Republicans or conservative PACs.
- Reposted by Betsy WolfWithin a month, federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations shot at D.C. drivers two separate times. The incidents highlight significant differences in how local and federal police respond to crime, as well as what systems of accountability exist, @maustermuhle.bsky.social reports.
- Reposted by Betsy WolfDC absolutely needs statehood so that the people who live there aren't ruled by goons they never elected. A genuine ongoing scandal and absolute betrayal of the principles of the country.
- Reposted by Betsy WolfThe House has passed H.R. 5214, a bill to return DC to cash bail. Cash bail creates two tiers of justice, one for people with money and one without. DC abolished it more than 30 years ago and crime has dropped precipitously since. H.R. 5214 is wrong and we will continue to fight its passage.
- Now that SCOTUS has given the administration a blank check to dismantle agencies required by law without congressional approval, this was the obvious next step.
- An official update from the US Department of Education.
- Reposted by Betsy WolfA federal judge ruled that the First Amendment rights of U.S. Department of Education employees were violated by the Trump administration when their out-of-office emails were replaced with partisan messages. LEARN MORE: buff.ly/WO2A2Oy
- DC could do this with its equitable access lottery preference but most schools choose not to: reserve up to 15% open seats for SNAP/TANF eligible.
- We’ve set up school choice as a zero sum game, making it even harder for public schools to survive. It doesn’t have to be this way.
- With his school just 61 percent full, this Florida principal has become something of a salesman for public education, and is frank about about the hustle required: “Customer service is key.” hechingerreport.org/universal-vo... @laurapappano.bsky.social
