We traveled the nation, bringing together parents and teachers for honest conversations about education. The conversations were telling. They told the story of an education system that was built many decades ago in the model of a factory, with the goal of producing factory workers. They told the story of top-down solutions whose effectiveness is measured by ever-increasing tests. They told the story of an American education system that needs something more than incremental reform… it needs a revolution.
But, more than any of that, they told the story of unity. Parents and teachers united to confront the hobbled system and work within it to make drastic improvements. Parents united together for the first time, realizing they aren’t alone in their concerns. Teachers united with one another and ready to demand more; more freedom; more optionality; more outcomes.
In each location, in every setting, in each school, we heard similar stories. American parents and teachers are experiencing the same pain points; demanding the same solutions. These solutions see no district lines, no tax bases, no demographic differences. They’re simple: increase freedom and optionality for parents and teachers alike and watch the outcomes soar.