The recent tragedy at Apalachee High School has predictably heightened public anxieties and reignited discussions about school safety. There is no doubt incidents like these leave lasting impressions on communities and challenge beliefs about how best to protect spaces presumed safe for children. And while in-school violence is no longer new to the American experience, such incidents have regrettably become lumped into a category of national tragedies we all mourn but eventually move on from — until the next one.
Although concerns about school safety persist, we must remain focused on our core work of educating children with an eye on the myriad issues public schools face. Since the coronavirus pandemic, an army of teachers has exited the profession over issues ranging from inadequate compensation to challenging working conditions. Problematic student behaviors and the hyper-partisan school choice debate have also created real challenges to be addressed — leaving parents scrambling for alternatives and seeking pathways for retreat.
Despite the many challenges facing our schools, I remain convinced of their impact and am excited about their future. It is not a blind faith, but a proud optimism rooted in what I know to be true about public schools and the people and communities that rely on them. Actually, they are to be lauded. Out of necessity, public schools have extended their purpose and utility. They have become leaders in the provision of mental health services, they have implemented reliable, sustainable and effective models for comprehensive support services — and they have done so while welcoming every student who arrives at their doors; migrants, non-English speakers, disabled students and the list goes on.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Arguably, public schools are among the most resilient institutions we have, and their significance should be highlighted, not doubted. In fact, there are deeply compelling reasons to be optimistic about the future of public education.
Here are three:
1. The emergence of a new and dynamic teacher corps
The profile of the traditional education professional is changing. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 30% of new teachers are entering the profession through alternative certification programs, and nearly 50% of new teachers report having prior experience in other fields. During a period marked by desperate searches for a dwindling supply of teachers, these shortages have forced school districts to think creatively about recruitment, welcoming new entrants into the profession from nontraditional backgrounds.
Amid the unprecedented challenges of finding and keeping teacher talent, the evolving profile of the American teacher represents one of the most exciting opportunities for the future of education. Foreign service teachers and mid-career changers now dominate educator candidate pools — and in many instances, are viewed as high priority applicants. This rapidly changing teacher corps provides only a glimpse into the future of the educator workforce.
The reality is the individuals teaching our students today — and the pathways they’ve taken to get there — are markedly different from those who have taken traditional routes. They do not fit the conventional archetype and, despite their relative inexperience, have shown themselves willing to embrace the pedagogies often taught in degree programs or fast track certification outlets.
The fortunate convergence of traditionally prepared teachers and those who have been nontraditionally trained have the potential of diversifying the teacher workforce while enabling fresh perspectives to enter into classrooms. If nothing else, the wide-ranging experiences of “new age” teachers can have the effect of sparking innovation within classrooms and ultimately enhance the student experience.
2. A more expansive, reimagined school experience
The modern school design, particularly at the secondary level, is unto itself a reason for optimism about the future of public education. In recent years, school districts have begun to reimagine curriculum and design new pathways to help students make meaningful connections with the world beyond the classroom. Signaling an elevated focus on curriculum relevance and student engagement, the possibilities for students are now more expansive than they once were.
Today, partnerships between school districts and the business community are relatively common, mostly because they help to ensure career exposure aligned with contemporary workforce demands.
Right here in Georgia, the emergence of stand-alone Career Academies — offshoots from traditional school settings — help to illustrate how education is rapidly becoming a bridge to workforce entry. These academies represent a significant departure from the manner in which career and technical education was once presented to students. Modern Career, Technical and Agricultural Education programming is now more robust and provides flexible learning models that enable greater pathways for opportunity and student engagement.
Even the underlying beliefs about why alternatives to traditional schooling is necessary has evolved. There is now a clear recognition that students are better off when schools are structured in ways that allow students to pursue their natural interests and curiosities, or explore new ones. This is a shift from a time when determinations about a kid’s future were presumed based on early-grade test scores which ultimately informed their academic journey. The heightened focus on equity within our public schools is to be credited for this, and as a consequence more students are benefiting from a school experience that better responds to their passions and interests.
3. The resilience of students
One final reason to be optimistic about the future of public education is that students themselves constantly remind us we should be. The remarkable resilience of students serve as the main idea of a story often untold, which is that in every school, there are young people who have overcome challenges to achieve their dreams. From children with learning disabilities to those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, to students forced into under-resourced schools, the tenacity and spirit of the American student to overcome difficult circumstances is undeniable.
Having spent the majority of my career teaching and leading in schools that would otherwise be considered as “challenging,” I have witnessed hundreds, if not thousands of students overcome personal adversities and rise to levels of extraordinary success. In fact, because there are so many examples, these stories are not even anomalies, they are objectively true examples that affirm the brilliance of the students who walk through the halls of public schools each and every day. Ironically, these students often come from households and communities that suffer from devastating conditions and disproportionately attend low performing schools. The irony here is that traditional metrics we use to evaluate the performance of schools often leads to infuriating judgments about students themselves, and their abilities. But my reality is different. I know the future of our schools will be just fine because I have seen what they produce.
A road map for the future
With all the challenges we face in public education, again, we must remain hopeful. The resilience of our teacher corps, the evolving nature of the public-school experience and the unconquerable spirit of our students all serve as reliable guideposts for an optimistic future. The path forward will undoubtedly require difficult conversations and significant investments in our education systems. However, by embracing the opportunity to innovate, collaborate and ensure that every child receives a high-quality education, we can build a brighter future for public education.
Duke Bradley is the superintendent of Newton County Schools.
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