The Education Roadmap
On the road to improving our education system, we have lost our way. We have forgotten the purpose of education and have focused on the means, rather than the end: knowledgeable human beings, productive and responsible members of society, engaged citizens, and lifelong learners. Instead, test scores and top-down constraints have become our singular focus, leaving many students, families, and educators frustrated by an education system that has lost sight of what really matters and that instead erects barriers to finding or offering a great education.
Consequently, Empower Mississippi’s Education Roadmap takes a look at the current state of affairs and lays out three objectives for education leaders and policymakers:
1. Restore the Purpose of Education
2. Foster an Atmosphere of Innovation
3. Expand Options for Families
The opportunities and policy approaches highlighted under each objective attempt to avoid damaging, unintended consequences by regulating less, not more, and by returning greater freedom and responsibility to parents, educators, and school leaders. Since many education reforms have proven to be costly, ineffective, and unsatisfactory, the solutions here focus on (1) utilizing existing funding, (2) removing ineffective, top-down barriers, (3) enhancing individual freedom and customization, and (4) promoting transparency and direct accountability.
Real education reform is comprehensive. It scrutinizes the present while looking toward the future, and it does not ignore innovation and accessibility in the pursuit of quality. Most of all, it has a healthy skepticism for sweeping policy changes and respect for the students, families, and educators who must face the consequences of policy decisions daily and feel a great sense of urgency to solve the problems in front of them.
The goal of the Education Roadmap is an educational environment in which the purpose of education returns to the forefront of policymaking and stakeholders are increasingly satisfied with schools focused on providing an education that will serve students for their whole lives.