Today’s moderator: Maureen Downey

Maureen Downey has written about local, state and federal education policy at the AJC for 12 years. She’s also taught college classes in mass communications and journalism. However, she’s learned more about schools from having four children in them.

» Join the discussion online today: Share your opinions and ideas on Maureen's blog Get Schooled.

Teachers are encouraged now to "differentiate" their instruction. But how possible is it for teachers to customize learning in crowded classrooms of 35 students?  I explore that topic today. In a guest column, a school choice advocate says the Georgia special education voucher has rescued many children  with special needs from classrooms that were not only unproductive for them, but dangerous. And readers take up the traditional math vs. integrated math debate;  it's still relevant in Georgia, where schools can adopt either approach.

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Inventor Lonnie Johnson stands with his Super Soaker water guns at JTEC Energy on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Atlanta. Johnson, a former NASA engineer, is currently working on a new energy technology through his company’s JTEC device that turns thermal heat into usable energy. (Natrice Miller/AJC)