There is broad bipartisan agreement on the importance of preparing students for success and clear recognition that the current system needs improvement. The good news is that there are committed leaders willing to develop innovative public policies and dedicated professionals working to implement these policies. This was evident at the New York convening of NGA Chair Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ LET’S GET READY! Educating All Americans for Success, which featured concrete examples from political and education leaders on building systems that work.
Governor Polis introduced the first panel, which focused on developing bottom-up approaches rather than top-down governance to achieve success. It featured Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.8 million member American Federation of Teachers (AFT) since 2008, and Geoffrey Canada, founder and president of the Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ), a world-renowned education and poverty-fighting organization based in New York City.
In her opening remarks, Weingarten emphasized the importance of creating a safe and welcoming environment in schools. She highlighted the need for experiential and project-based learning to improve student engagement, as well as the importance of making education relevant for students through dual enrollment, apprenticeship and internship programs that align education paths with workforce needs. These types of career technical education are critical for developing skills like problem-solving and critical thinking. Weingarten also discussed the importance of community schools and the need for long-term sustainability and scaling for successful programs.
“One of the things that is really enduring about America is that Americans want opportunity for all, and we want for our kids and our grandkids to have a better life for them than we had for ourselves. That has been an enduring piece of the American dream.”
Randi Weingarten
Canada endorsed Weingarten’s views and called for new models that partner with parents and communities to address the diverse needs of children—including addressing economic needs and student well-being. He stressed the importance of pre-K education and the need for comprehensive support from birth to career and shared success stories from Harlem that illustrate the need for sustained and scaled solutions. Canada also emphasized the value of public-private partnerships, saying that he has insisted on governments finding matching private dollars for programs, to increase accountability.
“We’ve decided, no matter how poor you are, no matter what your disability, no matter what your family situation, we’re going to simply let schools fix it. And it’s an impossible task for any one person. You give me a classroom that half of my kids are two years behind, the other half or three years behind—and I’m going to have one teacher figure out how to do all? It just does not work…So our model is cradle to career.”
Geoffrey Canada
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont talked about the success of his state’s Learner Engagement and Attendance Program, which partners with families to improve student attendance and engagement and then asked the panelists about the competitive and complementary roles of charter and religious with public education. Canada argued against the idea that charter schools are antithetical to public schools, “We need schools that educate children. I don’t care what they look like.” He then pointed out that there are great public schools in America, and stressed the need for collaboration: “What have we learned that we can share.” Canada concluded by cautioning against persistent attacks on schools, which will dissuade high performers from entering teaching.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee discussed innovative strategies being pursued in Rhode Island, including addressing chronic absenteeism and the importance of long-term efforts in education. Weingarten and Canada emphasized the need for sustainability in education programs by addressing student needs — including social and emotional needs — meeting students where they are, , and developing public-private partnerships to align the education system with the economy.
In response to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s comments on federal involvement in education, Canada and Weingarten argued for the importance of federal accountability and support for vulnerable children. They also highlighted the need for data that looks across states and the role of the federal government in ensuring access to high-quality education services.
In concluding remarks, the panelists discussed the importance of engaging parents and communities in education, emphasizing the role of schools as community hubs and the importance of comprehensive support for students and families. Canada shared examples of successful public-private partnerships in cities and rural areas. There was also discussion on the importance of maintaining and scaling effective education models, with Weingarten calling for a different accountability system aligned with what students need to know and be able to do, while Canada emphasized the importance of looking at holistic skills like problem-solving and critical thinking.
That last point, the need for accurate and meaningful measurements to drive educational success, is a pillar of LET’S GET READY. Learn more about the initiative here and watch the full session below.
