New Parent Group for Seattle Option Schools
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A group of Option School parents have formed a new group, the Seattle
Student Options Coalition. The group also encourages teachers and
interested commun...
Teacher Persona (David Labaree)
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I have known David Labaree since he arrived at Stanford University in 2003
from a distinguished career at Michigan State University as a
“sociologically or...
ICYMI: Cataract Edition (1/26)
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I am halfway through the process of cataract surgery (they go one eye at a
time) and so far it has been not terrible. It's one of those minor miracles
of...
Who is the new CEO of Teach For America?
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From 1990 until 2013, the CEO of TFA was the founder, Wendy Kopp. Under her
leadership the program grew from a small organization that struggled to
make pa...
64
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[Header Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash] Regret More than a decade ago,
close to one of the most celebrated birthdays, turning 50, I was ghosted.
Althou...
We Got To Do Better
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“Death cannot be experienced either by the dead or the living.” ― William
T. Vollmann, Rising Up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts on Violence, Freedom
and Ur...
LULAC Joins Suit to Block Trump on Citizenship
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*LULAC APPLAUDS FEDERAL COURT RULING BLOCKING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE
ORDER ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP*
*Nation's Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Ri...
The Madness
-
I recently watched The Madness on Netflix, and it offered a fascinating
exploration of the intersection of power, money, and technology—one that is
DEEPLY ...
No One Wants to Raise a Little A--hole
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*Alfredo Jaar (Mahatma Grandi's "Seven Social Sins")*
A little over a decade ago a study led by Harvard psychologist Richard
Weissbourd found that 80 per...
There is nothing peaceful about this transition.
-
If I hear one more liberal politician talk about how this is a peaceful
transition of power, I will scream.Fred Klonsky in Retirement is a
reader-supported...
Billionaires Driving Science of Reading
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By Thomas Ultican 1/21/2025 On January 2nd, billionaire created education
news source, The 74, declared there is a reading crisis in Los Angeles
Unified Sc...
The Orange Turd feeds the racists
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The Orange Turd has been feeding red meat to the millions of angry racists
for the past 8 years. He has succeeded in hoodwinking these sad souls into
placi...
Civics
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“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to
think critically. Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true
education.”...
W.B. YEATS, MEET W.H. AUDEN and MATTHEW ARNOLD
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Prior to the November election, I invoked the poetry of W.B. Yeats, asking
his question, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches
towar...
Retiree Advocate Town Hall: The ARISE Campaign
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I am excited to be working on a UFT election campaign through Retiree
Advocate. Our first event is a Town Hall this Sunday at 7:30. Please
register if you ...
The Five Musketeers
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One for all and all for one … and in a modern update, One in Five, a
Texas-based foundation that grew out of the Uvalde tragedy to help patrol
schools and ...
Site Index - Updated December 31, 2024
-
When I was teaching,
I got tired of hearing how bad American educators were.
*My Promise *
WHEN I STARTED BLOGGING IN 2011, I said I planned to speak ...
Perhaps this is a meaningless ramble
-
but I am choosing to reflect on a number of disparate topics that are
currently on my mind. Perhaps I should start by explaining that I have been
at leas...
December Parent Engagement Resources
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Parent involvement in schools ⬆️. 87% of K–12 students from
English-speaking families had parents who reported attending a general
school meeting in 2019, ...
The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” Awards
-
At NPE, we know who is naughty and nice when it comes to supporting our
public schools and their students.
The post The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” A...
Juntos lo haremos
-
En el año que viene, tendremos que tomar decisiones difíciles sobre quienes
queremos ser en cada comunidad y como nación. Ha sido un año muy intenso.
Desde...
WTF, Democratic Caucus?
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Why is the failure of this current budget bill being blamed on Republicans
when almost every single Democrat voted against it? If only half of the
Dems had...
Education Has Failed and What Can We Do Next?
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Education has failed to prepare children for the world today. Despite the
increased investment, impactful reforms, hardworking teachers and school
leaders,...
Defining Productivity, Cost, and Efficiency
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Recycled material here… The central problem with US public schools is often
characterized as an efficiency problem. We spend a lot and don’t get much
for i...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
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This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
-
The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
-
In this article, we will explore the powerful use of metaphors in Martin
Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” ...
Read more
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
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I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
-
Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
-
TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
-
I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
-
Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
The Threat of Integration
-
I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
-
I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved
ones. We ar...
The Fight For Our Children
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*The number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 nationally increased by
56 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to a new federal report showing
the ...
Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.
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Date: Monday, January 5, 2020 Place: My classroom Student: Mrs.Mims, could
we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for
Christmas an...
Keeping Progressive Schools Alive
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Dear Friends and Colleagues, Happy New Year and a special thanks to those
who respond to past blogs about choice, et al. I always mean to respond to
each c...
Reminiscences
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I just finished dumping the rest of my lesson plans. I guess I held on to
the calculus ones for so long because I spent so much time working on them
an...
Just Asking for some Teachers I know.
-
Recently Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated, We must … recognize that
part of supporting our kids in the classroom means supporting the educators
who t...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
-
Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
-
It first happened to me about ten years ago. I was beginning my third year
of teaching in a new school in Washington, DC. Social studies teachers were
si...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
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Figuring I did not need to invite any more darkness and vulgarity into my
head than that provided on a daily basis from Trump’s White House, and
after read...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
-
The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Whose Opinions Matter in Education World?
-
It's hard to identify education heroes and sheroes. And perhaps even harder
to pinpoint just whose work is slanted, paid-for and dishonest.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
-
Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on
Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
-
Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
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I’ve started a recent unit on poetry with my class. I’m not a poet, and I’m
not a poetry fan (I don’t hate it, but I’m a prose gal), so this makes it
harde...
The Apotheosis of Betsy DeVos
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Betsy Devos has drawn few headlines in recent months, and that is a good
thing for the Secretary of Education. Her tenure began with Vice President
Mike P...
Education Is a Civic Question
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In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
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Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
Should We Be Grateful?
-
In an odd turn of events, and with little explanation, Michigan Governor
Rick Snyder has decided to return the state’s School Reform Office back to
the Dep...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
-
An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark
Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am
addressing you all ...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
-
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Farewell, Sleep
-
Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
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States With the Best (and Worst)Schools
By *Evan Comen, Michael B. Sauter, Samuel Stebbins and Thomas C. Frohlich*
January 20, 2017- http://247wallst.com
...
Test Refusal = People Power
-
In recent months, social media has been ablaze with talk of regular folk
taking action to resist the Trump agenda. Protests are a daily occurrence,
and ev...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
-
I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
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By Michael Stratford | in the Politco Morning Education Report | via email
05/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT :: Two national education groups are backing a
Califor...
MY NEW BLOG
-
My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
-
Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
-
I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
-
Greetings to InterACT readers one and all! If you’ve been following posts
here recently you might recall that I’m moving my blogging activity to
other loca...
Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
-
*“With Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School closing, Newark families must
move on.”* The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/25/2013
NEWARK — Bobby and Troy Shanks saw the...
THE GOOD NEWS: San Francisco provides its residents with greater educational opportunities. Community colleges can provide an important ladder to help low-income students make their way to the middle class. According to Georgetown University, nearly 30% of Americans with an associate’s degrees now make more than those with bachelor’s degrees. Photo by Andrew/Flickr . The city of San Francisco jus
Today’s students see themselves as digital natives , the first generation to grow up surrounded by technology like smartphones, tablets, and e-readers. Teachers, parents, and policymakers certainly acknowledge the growing influence of technology and have responded in kind. We’ve seen more investment in classroom technologies , with students now equipped with school-issued iPads and access to e-te
Growing up can be tough . Between school, parental pressure, raging adolescent hormones, and trying to fit in, young people often feel overwhelmed and unable to cope. In the last few years, suicide surpassed homicide to become the second leading cause of death for teenagers, and its rise has been felt across nearly every demographic, especially women and girls . While there are a myriad of factor
For the past four decades, there’s been a controversial movement in German kindergartens to curb drug abuse later in life. The answer to this vexing issue: Take away the kids’ toys. Studies dating back to the ‘80s have found that toys — like recreational drugs — provide children with an easy means of escape. Therefore, by removing this crutch, children are forced to develop important problem-solv
According to the Centers for Disease Control , over 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease. As a result of the country’s aging population, this progressive brain disorder has grown to be the the sixth leading cause of death among all adults and the fifth leading cause for those aged 65 or older. Although there is no cure for this debilitating disease, a new study has found a way to reduce
After weeks of negotiation, Harvard University recently agreed to provide the Department of Justice access to its admissions files. The department is reopening a complaint by 63 Asian-American groups that Harvard discriminates against Asian-American applicants. The complaint was previously dismissed under the Obama administration. Many worry that government lawyers plan to use the case to argue t
Thurgood Marshall. Oprah Winfrey. Toni Morrison. Spike Lee. Martin Luther King Jr. These are just some of the notable graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), which are home to many of the nation’s most brilliant scholars. HBCU graduates have not only shaped the course of history, but today, these institutions produce 90% of the nation’s black science and technology gradu
By Gabe Rivin The past often looms large when people talk about Endicott. Endicott was the birthplace of IBM. It was a manufacturing powerhouse. Shoes, computer parts, leather — the village, near New York’s border with Pennsylvania, was always a company town. It was the kind of place with plenty of jobs to go around. But over the years, things took a turn for the worse. Endicott-Johnson, the shoe
By Maya Kachroo-Levine In the last few years, the gig economy has transformed the way we work. The freelance life has taken off, and it’s estimated that 35% of the workforce now participates in independent contract work. Washington Leadership Academy — a public charter school located in Washington, D.C. — is adapting to this evolving workforce in a creative way. They’re integrating independent co
Since 2001, U.S. reading comprehension scores on one international test have failed to increase, signifying an alarming trend in which countries that the United States normally outperformed are now consistently surpassing our fourth-grade students. Every five years, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) administers a benchmarking test to students in various global education
By Michael Stahl Class trips are always among the most highly anticipated days on the calendar for students. Hours-long learning sessions outside the confines of the school building — at planetariums, zoos, museums, and other enclaves — are exciting if only because they break up the monotony of the school day for so many kids. But there’s one school in Michigan that permits its teachers to take s
By Cameron Glover What do we do when a student misbehaves? Traditional methods of discipline — like reprimanding, detention, or suspension — may not actually solve the problem. Those approaches usually fail to produce long-term solutions, making it more likely for students to disengage or drop out altogether. Restorative justice is becoming a more recognized approach, particularly in education. I
The gig economy is here to stay. Currently, freelancers account for nearly 34% of the workforce , and by 2020 it’s estimated that number may grow to 43%. Because of this, companies are looking for ways to recruit and retain talented individuals, or poach them from competitors. Ridesharing giant, Lyft, is hoping its new education initiative will give them a leg-up over companies like Uber and Side
By Paul Rogers The world is changing. That means jobs are changing. And with that, schools — and students — will need to change, too. Contemporary high school graduates need to be both media-savvy and collaborative, capable of establishing professional relationships throughout their lives in order to thrive in a digital marketplace. This will require schools to rethink their core competencies whi
For the first time in nearly a decade, the United States Congress is about to take up legislation to upgrade the Higher Education Act — the federal law that governs how the federal government supports and regulates higher education institutions. The process began earlier this month, when U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, a Republican from North Carolina, chairperson of the House Committee on Education and
By Maya Kachroo-Levine Let’s face it: In high school, learning outside the classroom is a rarity. Some high schools offer the occasional service project or career development opportunity within the community. But for the most part, practical application and internships are reserved for college students while high schools focus on core curriculum — and keeping the students in the building. At Purd
Earning a college diploma doesn’t just mean a student has become an expert in a specific field. It also means they’ve learned good study habits, developed self-discipline, and figured out how to navigate a complicated bureaucratic landscape. Case in point: the simple task of getting transcripts delivered from one institution to another. Now, Sony is looking to make managing education records easi
By Gabe Rivin Powderhouse Studios won’t be like most high schools. It’s not just the 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule or the lack of homework. It’s far more than the school’s banishing of traditional grade levels. What’s perhaps most distinctive is the way it will respond to a central question in education today: Who should control the learning in class? For Powderhouse, the answer is simple. It’s all
For the past 14 years, we’ve watched images of war-torn Iraq on the evening news, heard about soldiers who’ve lost limbs and lives, and have been promised that the divisive and costly war would come to an end so America could finally move on. But what about the people who actually live there? As many in the western world decry the conflict for ideological reasons, the Iraq War and the ensuing fig
Public school funding has shrunk over the past decade. School discipline rates reached historic highs. Large achievement gaps persist . And the overall performance of our nation’s students falls well below our international peers. These bleak numbers beg the question: Don’t students have a constitutional right to something better? Many Americans assume that federal law protects the right to educa
By Paul Rogers Imagine a high school that “learns” you before you learn from it. Where you are surveyed prior to even stepping into a classroom and your curriculum is personalized to your interests, abilities, talents, and dreams. This is just one way in which a new Memphis charter school is trying to reimagine what’s possible in education — part of a growing national trend toward schools that fo
Amid rising tuition and living costs, more students than ever at one prestigious university are turning to government assistance to find their next meal. Since the beginning of this year, more than 500 University of California, Berkeley students have applied for food stamps. In the previous year, only 111 students had applied. In 2015, that number was just 41, according to a SFGate report . Thous
Every five years, Congress is tasked with reauthorizing the Higher Education Act of 1965. The last authorization was in 2013, so the U.S. House of Representatives just released a new bill to overhaul the act for next year. While the proposed bill would create a much-needed modernization of the FAFSA application process , it also bears the mark of Trump’s right-wing social agenda by banning free s
The Gateway Pundit’s White House Correspondent, Lucian Wintrich, was jailed Nov. 28, 2017, for breach of peace and released on $1,000 bail after unsuccessfully giving a speech titled “It’s OK to Be White” at the University of Connecticut. The controversial conservative was arrested after grabbing a woman who stole his notes off the lectern. Another person was arrested for allegedly breaking a win
By Michael Stahl In trying to save one of the United States’ most important stretches of land from succumbing to the effects of climate change, southeast Louisiana is calling in the cavalry: 45 prospective ninth-graders. The state’s coastline abutting the Gulf of Mexico is disappearing at an alarming rate. Studies show that about 45 square miles of wetlands are vanishing each year there , due in
By Cameron Glover In Los Angeles, there’s a growing desire to reconnect “disconnected” students — those whose life circumstances present barriers to keeping up with the demands of schoolwork — so they can earn their high school diplomas. The challenge is a big one: 111,000 students in the L.A. public school system must navigate the complexities of homelessness, incarceration, and the foster care
Jimmy Iovine is one of the biggest names in the music business. The Brooklyn native went from being a restless teen who dropped out of the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at 19 to a powerhouse producer who worked with icons like John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, and U2 before founding Interscope Records with Ted Field in 1990. Iovine’s improbable rise through the ranks was a result of his supe
After a terrifying near-miss, a TV audience was reminded that just because an experiment is taking place on-camera doesn’t mean it’s any safer than if it were done elsewhere. When Australia’s “Studio 10” hosted YouTube science personality Jacob Strickling, the guest sent plastic Coke bottles flying by combining their contents with liquid nitrogen. The first two attempts, undertaken solely by Stri
As part of an initiative that began in the Obama era, the office of Federal Student Aid is looking to modernize the federal student loan system so it’s easier for students to apply for, and later, pay off their loans. “The goal is a customer service experience that will rival Amazon or Apple’s Genius Bar,” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said . The first step in upgrading the entire system is mak
Since becoming the Trump administrations’ Education secretary, Betsy DeVos has been dead-set on repealing Obama-era protections for America’s most vulnerable students. Shortly after taking office, she revoked guidelines that