Level Playing Field: Strategies To Ensure Public Schools' Success (eBook)

A 2035 Prediction For Public Education

Brian J. Stephens (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
264 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3509-9050-8 (ISBN)

Infos

??This thought-provoking analysis explores two possible futures for public schools by the year 2035-one marked by positive progress, and the other by serious challenges. Brian J. Stephens examines critical issues such as widening achievement gaps, budget shortfalls, and increasing competition, while emphasizing the importance of restoring local autonomy in public schools. A key focus of the book is on the need for public schools to recruit and retain students, providing effective strategies to help public school districts remain competitive. The central theme underscores the importance of ensuring that public schools have a fair chance to thrive, especially amid growing school choice options and heightened competition. With actionable insights for navigating these challenges, Brian offers a roadmap to help public education leaders succeed in a rapidly changing landscape. This book is a must-read for educators, policymakers, and anyone invested in the future of public education.

Brian J. Stephens is an advocate, champion, and steadfast supporter of the public school system. As the founder and CEO of Caissa K12, a strategy firm serving public school districts nationwide, he has collaborated with school districts across 26 states (and counting) to address challenges such as student recruitment, chronic absenteeism, and more. Beginning his career with dual degrees in Business Management and Psychology, a Juris Doctorate in Law, and a Master's in Industrial Psychology, Brian's achievements include appointments as an adjunct law professor, recognition as a top 40 under 40 entrepreneur, and decades of public service in his community. He has presented at national conferences and organizations, such as the School Superintendents Association, the National School Boards Association, and the Consortium of State School Boards Associations. His foundation in strategic and intelligence-based action began at Marion Military Institute, where, at the age of 19, he was appointed Cadet Corps Commander of the student body. He continued his service, rising to the rank of Captain in the United States Army. Through these experiences, Brian discovered his passion for empowering public schools to effectively educate the students of the future.

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This thought-provoking analysis explores two possible futures for public schools by the year 2035-one marked by positive progress, and the other by serious challenges. Brian J. Stephens examines critical issues such as widening achievement gaps, budget shortfalls, and increasing competition, while emphasizing the importance of restoring local autonomy in public schools. A key focus of the book is on the need for public schools to recruit and retain students, providing effective strategies to help public school districts remain competitive. The central theme underscores the importance of ensuring that public schools have a fair chance to thrive, especially amid growing school choice options and heightened competition. With actionable insights for navigating these challenges, Brian offers a roadmap to help public education leaders succeed in a rapidly changing landscape. This book is a must-read for educators, policymakers, and anyone invested in the future of public education. Public education is at a tipping point. The rapid growth of school choice programs has created a fractured landscape, raising urgent questions about the future of traditional public schools. At a time when public school districts are facing funding crises, enrollment declines, and increasing demands for accountability, A Level Playing Field delivers a timely and critical analysis. This book challenges readers to rethink the role of public education in a democratic society and provides actionable solutions to navigate the tensions between choice and equity. Stephens' vision calls for preserving and revitalizing public schools as inclusive institutions that serve all students, regardless of background or socioeconomic status.

Textauszug

CHAPTER

Story Time

Often, our challenges feel overwhelming and distant, making them difficult to fully understand. To make these issues more reiatable, I’m going to put a face on the problem by exploring two similar girls’ futures—one in our universe and one in a “more” ideal mirror universe. So, indulge my nerdy Sci-Fi side for a moment. If this analogy doesn’t resonate with you, feel free to skip this chapter—or, if you’re up for it, go watch about 30 hours of Star Trek and then come back to give it another go.

Picture the year 2035, and two young girls, Eva and Emily, are about to start school. Both girls come from lower to middle-class families living on the edge of a sprawling urban metropolis. Their parents, proud and hardworking, are deeply focused on their daughters’ safety and success. As they begin to consider their daughters’ education, they are faced with a range of choices.

The local public school is just down the street. While the elementary school seems inviting, the middle and high schools have less impressive reputations, shaped by social media comments and standardized test scores. Another option is the nearby charter school, known for high standards and a more flexible, innovative approach compared to public schools. Private school is also a consideration, expensive but more accessible thanks to state vouchers covering most of the cost. The parents have heard that private schools are better and are weighing the extra cost for their child’s future. Finally, there are online and homeschooling options, which emphasize keeping children safe from negative outside influences.

Though aware of the many options, the families, like many others, base their decisions more on hearsay, social media, and news than on data. After much discussion, Emily’s family chooses the local public school, while Eva’s family opts for online schooling for elementary school. Their friends make different choices too—some pick charter schools, others use vouchers for private schools, and a few move to districts with better reputations.

A Shift in the Universe: Two Potential Futures

Eva and Emily are preparing for the future, but a twist of fate changes everything. One sunny afternoon at the local park, the girls are playing when a shimmering, pulsating rift suddenly opens on the slide. Just as Eva slides down, she’s pulled into the rift and disappears in a flash. In an instant, she finds herself in a mirror universe. Meanwhile, her friend Emily continues playing, blissfully unaware of what has happened.

In this mirror universe, everything looks familiar, and Eva doesn’t even realize she’s in an alternate reality. But things are different. On the walk home, Eva’s mom asks if she’s excited about starting public school next week. Confused, Eva replies that she thought she was going to be homeschooled. Her mom, equally puzzled, responds, “Why would we do that when we have a great public school just down the street?”

At six years old, Eva doesn’t hesitate to ask questions, so she presses her mom: “Last week you said public schools only focus on testing and don’t teach kids how to be street smart. And what does street smart even mean?” Eva also shares that she doesn’t feel safe going to public school and doesn’t want to attend.

Her mom, baffled by these questions, assures her, “Public schools have spent the last ten years focusing on problem-solving, holistic learning, and creating safe, supportive environments. Why wouldn’t we send you there?”

Eva’s mom goes on to explain how public schools in their community have changed, embracing innovation and prioritizing both academic and practical life skills. The schools have earned their place alongside charter and private schools by offering a competitive, well-rounded education. Though Eva doesn’t fully grasp how her mom’s perspective on public education made such a complete turnaround, she trusts her and heads off to school.

So, what does the future look like for Eva and Emily? For Emily, her path is typical of many children in 2035, filled with options but lacking a clear understanding of what’s best. Her parents, like many others, do their best with the information they have, making a choice based on limited resources and social influences.

But for Eva, in this mirror universe, her parents have a clear vision. They choose the right school with confidence, without hesitation. Why? What changed in this mirror universe that made public schools the obvious choice, and how did these schools earn the reputation as centers of excellence?

Let’s explore the divergent paths of Eva and Emily, examining how their educational journeys shape their futures and reflect the broader decisions society makes about public education.

Our Universe: The Potential Struggles of Tomorrow

Meet Emily, a bright and curious 10-year-old attending a public school in 2035. She wakes up every morning in her small apartment in a low-income neighborhood, her parents already gone to work. They love her deeply but have little time to help with homework or school activities, leaving Emily to figure things out on her own.

Emily’s parents know about the various school choices available—private schools, charter schools, homeschooling—but after researching all the options, they realized they had no real choice.

“Charter schools can’t help with her speech therapy,” Emily’s dad said, frustration in his voice. “We called every one of them.”

“And private schools?” Her mom sighed. “Even with vouchers, we can’t afford the extra costs for transportation and everything else.”

Homeschooling was out of the question. Both parents worked full time, and even if they could stay home, they didn’t feel equipped to teach her. Emily had to stay in public school.

The local public school, though struggling, was the only one offering the speech therapy Emily needed for her speech impediment. She had trouble pronouncing “S” and “R” sounds—a manageable issue, as long as she had the right help. But as more families in the area opted for charter and private schools, enrollment and funding at Emily’s school dropped sharply. The programs she relied on were now at risk.

One day, Emily overheard her teacher and principal talking in the hallway.

“Can we save the speech therapy program?” the principal asked.

“I don’t know,” the teacher responded, shaking her head. “With these budget cuts, we’re losing more than we can handle. Art and music are already gone. Speech therapy might be next.”

Emily’s heart sank. The therapy sessions helped her feel more confident, and the thought of losing them terrified her. When she told her parents, her dad shook his head in disbelief. “I got speech therapy in public school back in the ‘80s—how are we worse off now?”

By the time Emily started school that fall, her worst fear had come true. The speech therapy program had been cut.

Her parents tried to find alternatives, but private services were too expensive. They resorted to watching YouTube videos at night, trying to coach her themselves, but the results were uneven, and Emily grew frustrated. “It’s not the same,” she told her mom one night. “I can’t get better just watching videos.”

As the months passed, the school’s situation continued to decline. With less funding, class sizes ballooned, and the facilities fell into disrepair. Leaky roofs, broken heating systems, and outdated technology became part of Emily’s daily life. The textbooks were old, and the school’s limited computers barely worked.

Teachers, worn down by the constant challenges, began leaving. Mrs. Garcia, Emily’s favorite teacher, stayed as long as she could. “You kids deserve more,” she told Emily one afternoon when she stayed late to help. “But it’s getting harder every year.”

Eventually, Mrs. Garcia left too, burned out and exhausted. Emily’s classes were often taught by substitutes who didn’t know the material well. “Why is everyone leaving?” Emily asked her new teacher, who only shrugged.

The few teachers who remained struggled to cover the basics, and the pressure to perform well on standardized tests dominated the school year. Emily, who once loved asking questions and exploring new ideas, now dreaded going to class.

By third grade, her anxiety about tests had worsened. She couldn’t sleep the night before an exam, worrying about failing and disappointing her teachers. The school’s narrow focus on test preparation left little room for creative thinking or problem-solving.

One day, Emily’s class was assigned a group project to build a simple machine. The project required collaboration and critical thinking, skills Emily and her classmates hadn’t developed because their lessons were always geared toward test material. Confused and overwhelmed, Emily struggled to contribute. “I don’t even know where to start,” she whispered to a...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 21.1.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Pädagogik
• ISBN-13: 979-8-3509-9050-8 / 9798350990508