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Walk into any school, and you can feel the difference immediately. A bright, clean, well-maintained building communicates value, pride, and possibility. A rundown building communicates something else entirely. The truth is simple: learning environments matter. They shape student motivation, teacher morale, and community trust. Yet across the country, many school buildings are aging, overcrowded, or in disrepair — not because educators don’t care, but because funding hasn’t ke

For too long, American high schools have been shaped by a single driving force: standardized testing. Students move from one benchmark to the next, memorizing facts for exams that rarely connect to the real world. Meanwhile, essential life skills—such as financial literacy, communication, critical thinking, and career readiness—are often left behind. If we want to improve public education, we must rethink what high school is for . It shouldn’t be a test-preparation pipeline.

Digital tools have become part of everyday life—and part of everyday classrooms. But in the rush to modernize, many elementary schools have unintentionally allowed screens to replace something far more important: real childhood learning. If we want to improve public education, we must restore balance. Technology has a place, but it should never take the place of human interaction, hands-on exploration, and joyful discovery. The Problem: Too Many Screens, Too Little Childhood

Public education works best when it isn’t schools versus families—but schools with  families. Parents are a child’s first teachers, and when they feel respected and included, students thrive. Unfortunately, in many districts today, the partnership between schools and parents has weakened. Mistrust, poor communication, and competing priorities have too often replaced collaboration. It’s time to rebuild that bridge—because when schools and families work together, every child be

Ask almost any teacher what takes time away from teaching, and the answer will come quickly: paperwork, data entry, reports, and endless compliance tasks. Education has become tangled in administrative red tape, leaving teachers buried under forms instead of focused on students. If we want to make public education better, we must untangle the system and put instruction back where it belongs—at the center of everything we do. The Hidden Weight on Teachers Over the past two dec

Every teacher knows the difference between teaching twenty students and teaching thirty. It’s not just a few extra papers to grade—it’s less time for every child, more behavior issues, and a more challenging road to meaningful learning. If we want to improve public education, one of the simplest, most effective solutions is this: reduce class sizes. The Case for Smaller Classes Research spanning decades shows what teachers have always known—students in smaller classes perform

Every great school begins with great teachers. Yet in recent years, the teaching profession has faced an identity crisis. The people who dedicate their lives to shaping the next generation often feel devalued, distrusted, and disrespected. If we genuinely want to improve public education, we must start by restoring respect to those who make it possible. The Erosion of Respect Teachers have long carried more than their share of responsibility—educating, mentoring, counseling,

If we want to improve the future of public education, we must start where learning begins—kindergarten through second grade. The earliest years of schooling shape not just reading ability, but confidence, curiosity, and a child’s lifelong relationship with learning. Unfortunately, K–2 classrooms are often underfunded, over-tested, and undervalued. It’s time to change that. The Power of the Early Years Research is clear: students who read proficiently by the end of third grade

Before learning can happen, safety must be certain. Students can’t focus on reading, writing, or problem-solving if they’re worried about what might happen in the hallway. Teachers can’t teach effectively if they’re constantly managing crises instead of instruction. That’s why every school needs a trained, community-minded resource officer —not as an enforcer, but as a protector, mentor, and partner in building a safe and supportive environment. The Reality of School Safety T

Curriculum is the backbone of education. It shapes what students learn, how they think, and what they carry into life beyond school. But somewhere along the way, our curriculum pipeline became clogged—with disconnected standards, overstuffed pacing guides, and an obsession with test alignment instead of student growth. If we want to improve public education, we must teach what truly matters—and remove what doesn’t. The Problem: A System Stuck in the Past Much of today’s curri

Walk into most kindergarten classrooms today, and you might notice something missing—play. What once served as the foundation of early learning has been replaced by worksheets, assessments, and screen-based lessons. The result? Students are sitting more, moving less, and struggling to stay engaged. It’s time to put movement and play back where they belong—at the center of learning. The Science Is Clear Children are not designed to sit still for long periods. Movement is how t

Strong schools depend on strong relationships. Yet in recent years, trust between schools and the communities they serve has eroded. Misunderstandings, political division, and misinformation have created walls where there used to be bridges. Rebuilding that trust isn’t optional—it’s essential. When educators, parents, and community members work together, schools thrive. When they’re divided, everyone loses—especially students. The Disconnect We Can’t Ignore Public education h

Education is supposed to prepare young people for life—not just for tests, grades, or graduation ceremonies. Yet too often, high school students leave our classrooms unprepared for the realities they’ll face beyond them. To truly improve public education, we must reimagine what “readiness” means. It’s not just about academic content—it’s about equipping students with the skills, habits, and confidence to navigate the real world successfully. The Disconnect Between School and

Something powerful happens when a child lights up with understanding—when learning becomes exciting instead of exhausting. But somewhere along the way, public education lost that spark. The joy of learning has been replaced by the fear of failure, and innovation by the pressure to conform. To rebuild stronger schools, we must rekindle both. Joy and innovation are not luxuries—they are essential ingredients in meaningful education. The Problem: Learning Has Become Mechanical A

Technology has transformed education—but not always for the better. While digital tools have opened new learning opportunities, they have also crept into every corner of the classroom, often at the expense of movement, creativity, and human connection. Nowhere is this more concerning than in the elementary years, when children’s brains and bodies are developing most rapidly. To make public education better, we must find a balance: using technology as a tool, not a teacher. Th

For too long, the success of our schools has been measured by a single number—a test score. The result has been a system that values...

Behind every strong school is a team of dedicated professionals who make learning possible. But across the nation, that team is...

If you ask any teacher what keeps them from doing their best work, most won’t say it’s the students—they’ll say it’s the system. The...

If we want to make public education better, we have to start at the root: funding. A strong public school system depends on stable,...

Special education is meant to ensure that every child, regardless of disability, receives a free and appropriate public education. But...