These times have raised an important question: How can we redesign our public education system as the centerpiece of every community?
The purpose of public schools is to cultivate and nurture the whole child. Public schools support families as they raise children to be healthy, caring and productive citizens. Public schools develop and support the next generation of workers and leaders, teaching them the academic and social-emotional skills to lead prosperous careers. The COVID-19 pandemic reminded us how central schools are to our communities. They are the cornerstone of our democracy. Rather than simply returning to “normal,” we must build the schools our students deserve. That’s how we build the future of New York and the nation — one student at a time.
We must act on what we have learned from these crises. Together we can outline a path forward that will lead New York’s schools to a chapter of profound progress for every student. Over the next few months, we will be outlining our recommended approach to the future of education in our state. We will be pushing our lawmakers to enact legislation that has several key tenets:
- Support public schools as the center of our communities
- Support students’ social-emotional needs, nurture the whole child
- Fight for racial justice
- De-emphasize high-stakes testing
- Adopt best practices for instruction and technology
Stay tuned as we launch a series of initiatives and tell stories from our members that support these goals.