Phoenix Rising

Public education in the U.S. is at a crossroads. Federal shake-ups and policy shifts have left school systems, educators, and families grappling with uncertainty. This comes on the heels of pernicious pandemic-related learning loss and more than a decade of declining national student achievement results. While some celebrate these disruptive changes and others decry them, we at CRPE believe two things can be true: Change is necessary, but poorly conceived change can do more harm than good. Is there opportunity for a phoenix to rise from the current realities in education? We believe the answer is yes, but achieving that goal will require bold ideas that reasonable people can agree on.

This new series of essays and proposals will explore what could and should come next in the wake of the pandemic, declining national test scores, and the federal interventions of the Trump administration. We begin by examining how the federal role in education could and should evolve—grounded in CRPE’s core belief that public education is a goal, not a fixed set of institutions. Future discussions will turn to bold new reform ideas and the changing responsibilities of states and local communities. We will be publishing our own ideas alongside invited commentaries—and we plan to host discussions about the best paths forward. This series is a forum to challenge assumptions, spark debate, and generate ideas for preparing today’s and tomorrow’s students for a rapidly changing future. 

The system as it stands is not delivering what students and families need. We cannot afford to repeat the same cycles, reuse outdated ideas, or cling to the status quo. It’s time to push boldly and unapologetically for change. It’s time for the system to rise anew.