Jay Mathews
Jay Mathews
Columnist

Jay Mathews is an education columnist and blogger for the Washington Post, his employer for 40 years. He is the author of seven books, including three about high schools and his most recent, a New York Times bestseller, about the birth and growth of the KIPP charter school network. He created the annual Challenge Index rankings of high schools (formerly in newsweek.com, now at washingtonpost.com). He has won several awards for education writing and was given the Upton Sinclair award as “a beacon of light in the realm of education.” He has won the Eugene Meyer Award for distinguished service to The Washington Post.

Latest by Jay Mathews

Md. mother of twins says school ignores special-education expertise

Stacie Brockman can’t understand why her boys’ school rejects expert advice on learning disabilities.

School ignores expert assessments

Leading national experts on learning disabilities assessed the Brockman twins. Their school didn’t care.

Wrong way to pick best principals

Two national experts say we can use key proficiencies to identify great leaders. Sorry, try again.

The wrong way to pick the best principals

Two experts have proposed using “key competencies” to pick principals. The idea makes no sense.