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.

Haley Henry

If I were to consider changes to our educational system, one of the most significant shifts would be to challenge the notion that a college degree is a prerequisite for success. This belief feels outdated and does not accurately reflect the realities of today’s job market. As someone who holds a bachelor’s degree in finance, I have firsthand experience in recognizing that my current position does not require a degree at all. Read more>>

Cornell Wade

In truth, I would change everything about the education system. From the generic approach to curriculum to the disciplinary practices, specific with Black Boys, that creates a breeding ground for prisons inmates across our country. The very institution fails to prepare students for a world void of grades, and bell schedules and lessens the student innate desire to learn while alienating students from the internal satisfaction in education. I have been in the education field since I was 19 years old. I have experiences from early elementary education through collegiate studies and these failures exist through the highest levels of our educational system. Read more>>

Tsuki Fox

As a GenX in high school, my options were limited – go to college or go into the trades. I didn’t have the grades, the patience, or the funds for a 4-year school, and I didn’t want to become a mechanic. So I was left to figure it out on my own. I may have struggled to find myself, but I eventually landed in an industry where my earnings quickly surpassed that of my peers who had gone on to earn their degrees. That journey shaped me – and I’ve always been proud of it. Read more>>