Over the last fifteen years, I have been directly involved in supporting a diverse mix of charters, virtual schools, and public school districts. All of it with a lens around expanding opportunities around choice, voice, path and place to create the best possible outcome for those our decisions impact most: the students. My work has exposed me to philanthropy, non-profit policy organizations, public schools, charter networks, and state departments of education where I have seen both success and failure when change was not implemented correctly.
Betsy, this is why I am writing to you today, as you embark on your mission to “make American education great again” or, as I believe, prepared for the future. As the first schools we supported at Education Elements were charter schools, it is important to first establish the tremendous respect I have for the level of innovation we have seen come out of these establishments. I am neither against well-run charters, nor am I against parents choosing the best educational opportunities for their children, but I am cautious of overly promoting school choice when it comes at a cost to millions of other students in America.
Endorsing more choice and adding more schools will not be enough to make education better for all children. But that does not mean we can’t do more. There are measures we can take to improve the public schools we have now, those where the majority of students in this country attend, and I would like to offer a stepping point by highlighting a handful of key areas in public education that need your attention...
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