The Horace Mann League of the USA

04/02/2026

03/30/2026

DID YOU KNOW HML offers draft letters to the editor on a variety of current topics- free for you to download, adjust to your needs and use as you wish.

Check it out on the HMLeague.org website!

Letters to the Editor from the Superintendent
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03/27/2026

To move beyond positions and toward solutions:

“How can we offer meaningful choices for families while ensuring every child—and our entire community—benefits from a strong public education system?”
This is not simply a policy debate—it is a values conversation about what education is for:

A private benefit chosen by families,
Or a public good that sustains a democratic society.
Most effective leadership—and most sustainable systems—find ways to honor both without sacrificing either.

(edited by Jack McKay)

03/24/2026

A Mann-Inspired Framing for Today
A superintendent could channel this perspective with a statement like:

“We can learn from the marketplace—listening to families and improving our schools—but we must remember that public education was never designed to be a marketplace. It was designed to be a common good, serving every child and strengthening the community we all share.”
Horace Mann would likely accept improvement, reject commodification, and insist that any reform—market-based or otherwise—be judged by its ability to advance equity, unity, and democratic life. (Chat GPT edited by Jack McKay)

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02/27/2026

Nominating a New Member to the Horace Mann League: Why and How. Edited by Jack McKay.

Why?

Nominating a new member to the Horace Mann League is one of the most meaningful contributions current members can make to strengthening public education. By nominating an exceptional educator, you're not only recognizing their dedication and impact, but you're also expanding a network of passionate advocates who champion public schools and educational excellence.

Each new member brings fresh perspectives, strengthens the League's collective voice, and helps ensure that outstanding educators receive the recognition they deserve. Your nomination connects deserving colleagues with valuable professional relationships and leadership opportunities while building a stronger community committed to advancing public education for all students.

When you nominate someone, you're investing in both an individual educator's professional growth and the future strength of public education advocacy.

How to nominate? Contact Executive Director Jimmy Minichello at [email protected] or go to

Welcome to the Horace Mann League Welcome to the Horace Mann League The Horace Mann League of the USA is an honorary association of leaders who believe that the public school system is the cornerstone of our democracy. The League was founded in 1922, and since then has continued to be a leader in pr...

02/24/2026

The new federal is a Scholarship Tax Credit voucher initiative, part of the 2025 federal budget bill, where taxpayers can receive a 100% federal tax credit for donating to nonprofit scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs) that fund private school scholarships and related services.

Note: The original version of this newsletter incorrectly stated eligibility for claiming the tax credit — we apologize for the error. Please forgive the additional email.

02/20/2026

As the image of masked, armed federal agents detaining a five-year-old Minnesota child circled the globe, the fallout of similar immigration enforcement activities has also reverberated through the hallways of America’s schools.

02/19/2026

The Annual Meeting of Horace Mann League membership took place virtually on Feb. 12, 2026. At the meeting, members present celebrated the life of Dr. David Berliner.

Public education mattered deeply to Dr. Berliner — not just as a field of study, but as a cornerstone of democracy. In this short video, hear reflections from Dr. Berliner’s son, Brett Berliner, and educational consultant Gene Sharratt on Dr. Berliner’s life, scholarship, and lasting influence.

A member of the HML Board of Directors, Berliner passed away last fall. He was a courageous researcher and a lifelong champion of public schools, educators, and students.

We join many others in thanking Dr. Berliner for his passion, guidance and wisdom.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

02/10/2026

"Public education is the backbone of American democracy. In the richest country in the history of the world, we cannot abandon our teachers and our public schools".

- Senator Bernie Sanders

02/06/2026

THURSDAY, Feb. 12th: Annual HML Membership Meeting - Virtual via Zoom.

You are invited to the 104th Annual Meeting of the Horace Mann League's membership on Thursday, February 12th, starting at Noon Eastern Time. (11:00 am Central, 10:00 am Mountain, and 9:00 am Pacific)

The annual meeting will feature a special presentation honoring Dr. David Berliner, a longtime friend and board member of the League.

Dr. David Berliner was one of the nation’s foremost education researchers, a Regents Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University, and a lifelong champion of public education. Dr. Berliner passed away last fall, leaving an extraordinary body of work — and an equally extraordinary moral voice — at a time when public education faces profound challenges.

Dr. Berliner, the author of Public Education for Our Nation’s Democracy, was a longtime board member of the Horace Mann League and a scholar who never separated research from responsibility.



To view the agenda and get the zoom link, check your email from HML!

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01/27/2026

Good information for taking action on behalf of public schools