Our children are our future. Education is at the heart at developing their skills and abilities and yet year after year we hear about the degrading state of our educational system. Our nation has spent trillions of dollars on failed programs that research and experts had promised would work. Achievement gaps persist, performance declines are accelerating and so it is of paramount importance that we explore novel ideas and solutions. You might not agree with many or any of the ideas below, and we certainly are not endorsing policies – our hope is just to create a space where bright, dedicated folks from the community can share their ideas – so that we can all come together and better understand each others experiences, concerns and how we might move forward together to build a brighter future.

Tinsley Tarot

The U.S. education system leaves a lot to be desired. I do not think highly of it, even though I have a Master’s degree. A person’s most educational experience is often their first real job, and our schools do not do enough to prepare them for it. On-site residencies should be required for all careers and not just reserved for some. All colleges and universities need to be held accountable for placing students in viable careers and not just profiting from them. Read more>>

Dawn Roscoe

I am a very fortunate business owner. I have an undergraduate, graduate and art degree. After spending many dollars and years in academia, one thing is for sure-the educational system is wonderful in teaching students textbook figures and facts, but academia does not spend money or have resources to help students after school ends. Read more>>

Bethany Rooney

As a freelance director, I move from show to show, rather than stick to one production. For example, this season I directed ten one-hour episodes at seven different companies. It used to be – we’re talking fifteen years ago now – that when I would show up to direct an episode, members of the cast and crew would tell me stories about the deficiencies of the director who preceded me. Read more>>

Isabel Padilla

I’ve attended 3 schools, 2 colleges, and one post college education center. I didn’t receive a single class that oriented me towards a creative and artistic career until I actually had to pick one. I learned about classical Spanish literature and paintings through a historic point of view over and over again. Read more>>

Tiffany Holman-Taylor

I truly believe that life is more fulfilling when one is doing what they love and when that which they love causes them to make a retroceding contribution to the world in a positive way. In some ways, I believe that post-educational institutions help develop students in the area in which they have chosen to pursue. However, in so many cases, several students spend close to two whole years taking courses that merely repeat the subjects that were (or should have been) covered in high school. Read more>>

Sharhonda Mahan

Kids and teens need to learn more about who they are while they’re young. They need tools to assist them to creating a growth mindset, self-confidence. They need their parents to give them quality time and pour into them with the same or greater energy they put into their careers. Read more>>