Stories

Bold Visions Needed to Solve Pandemic-related Education Setbacks

Written by Mark R. Lowery | Feb 16, 2023 4:15:00 PM

A new collection of essays by leading education thinkers offers pathways to addressing the devastating impact the pandemic had and continues to have on our nation’s K-12 students.

Released today, Opportunity America’s “Unlocking the Future: Toward a New Reform Agenda for K-12 Education,” is a collection of essays from researchers, advocates and practitioners from across the political spectrum.

Understandably, as a result of pandemic-related regression among many students, parents are angry and want more control over their children’s schools. However, there’s no political consensus about what needs to be done and no left-right coalition in place to drive reform.

While offering different solutions, the essayists agree on the need for bold, dramatic, far-reaching change to produce schools that work for the nation’s children.

The essayists include John Bailey, nonresident senior fellow, American Enterprise Institute; Derrell Bradford, president, 50CAN;  Denise Forte, president and CEO, The Education Trust;  Paul Herdman, president and CEO, Rodel Foundation of Delaware; Tamar Jacoby, president, Opportunity America; Robin Lake, director, Center on Reinventing Public Education; 

Will Marshall, president and founder, Progressive Policy Institute;  Frances Messano, CEO, NewSchools Venture Fund; Robert Pondiscio, senior fellow, American Enterprise Institute; and Keri Rodrigues, founding president, National Parents Union. 

Other essayists are Andrew Rotherham, co-founder and external relations leader, Bellwether; Ian Rowe, founder, Vertex Partnership Academies; Jessica Schurz, research associate, American Enterprise Institute; and Matt Sigelman, president, Burning Glass Institute.

Read the entire essay collection, including:

Let’s Expand Schools’ Thinking about Student Success

Nothing About Us Without Us

Schools Want Engaged Parents in Theory but Ignore Their Reality

Let’s Open A Marketplace of Schools