December Newsletter
At the Charles Koch Institute, our goal is to unlock the potential of every learner. To do that, we need to transform education to focus on the child – not the system. Let’s give them better than the current system built on averages and provide education models that allow them to discover, develop, and deploy their individual talents.
Highlights from ExcelinEd's National Summit on Education
Last month, 1,000 policymakers, advocates, researchers, philanthropists, and educators gathered in Orlando, FL for ExcelinEd's National Summit on Education. Once again, the summit did not disappoint. At such a critical time in American education, we had the privilege of meeting with and hearing from so many attendees who are working to transform education into a system that is individualized to meet the needs of each and every student.
CKI was a proud sponsor and participant, and here are some of the highlights from the summit for us:
Ending Education Redlining
As we detailed previously, school attendance zones are relics of 1930s housing discrimination. This issue was discussed in a general session, "Erasing the Red Lines: Overcoming Inequity in School Attendance", which featured a timely conversation on inequity in attendance zones and the disturbing endurance of redlining in education.
Attendees heard from parent Kelly Williams-Bolar, who was prosecuted in Ohio for "stealing" a public education by using her father's address to get her children into a better school.
Author and advocate Tim DeRoche, who wrote a book on the topic, noted that "everyone lies about their address. This is very common... of people of all races and all income levels. It is a very common American thing, to lie about your address to get into the right school."
Derrell Bradford, president of 50CAN, recounted: "One of the earliest conversations I can recall is my mother and grandmother sitting at the kitchen table trying to figure out whose address we were going to use so I could go to a middle school [in a different section of town]... instead of the one I was zoned to."
The experience turned Williams-Bolar into an advocate. "At the end of the day I'm just a mom with a regular family who wants the best for my children... and I want them to have an opportunity like everyone else," said Williams-Bolar. "That's why I fight, that's why I continue, and I'm not going to stop."
To help in that fight, Tim DeRoche is launching a new organization - Available to All - which will operate as a nonpartisan watchdog organization focused on holding institutions accountable for making public schools available to all on equal terms. Click here to sign up for updates from Tim and Available to All.
Unbundling Education
At a time of upheaval in the education system, the idea of "unbundling" education services has never been more appealing. CKI's Adam Peshek moderated this panel that sought to reimagine education through innovations that can lead to a new system of education designed around individual students. Panelists included parent advocate Bernita Bradley, Idaho Representative Wendy Horman, policy expert Juliet Squire, and ExcelinEd CEO Patricia Levesque.
To learn more about this area, see:
This VELA profile of Bernita Bradley's work with Engaged Detroit.
Juliet Squire's recent brief on microschools and pods in New York and her paper arguing to expand chartering to individual teachers.
The "Empower Families with Opportunity" section of ExcelinEd's 2022 Education Policy Playbook, which contains many of these concepts.
This Project Forever Free profile of Idaho's "Innovation Classrooms" policy.
The Importance of 'Durable Skills'
As more and more jobs become automated, Durable Skills that are uniquely human are more important than ever. A report by Deloitte found that occupations that emphasize these durable (aka soft) skills will account for two-thirds of all jobs by 2030.
Students who are able to develop their cognitive, emotional, and academic skills will be prepared for life on their own terms - one that is full of lifelong learning and fulfillment. Yet, these durable skills are often neglected or relegated to inspirational posters hanging in the halls of schools who place overwhelming focus on short-term academic recall.
CKI's Adam Peshek moderated a panel on the topic with Tim Taylor (President of America Succeeds), Cherisse Campbell (Zone Superintendent at Fulton County Schools), and Jake Hirsch-Allen (Workforce Development and Skills Lead at LinkedIn). The panel - "Skills for Success in Learning, Work, and Life: How Durable Skills Transform a Student's Experience" - focused on the Durable Skills initiative being led by America Succeeds.
Promoting Civil Discourse
In an important discussion between Professors Cornel West (Harvard) and Robert George (Princeton), these two intellectuals on different sides of the ideological spectrum spoke eloquently on the urgency of “Fostering Civil Discourse in Divisive Times.” These friends urged the audience to take discourse away from conflict-seeking arguments and to adhere to the tenets of liberalism: namely, agree and agree to disagree. As Professor George noted:
I have a much deeper understanding of questions that are important to me, which I have views on because I have had to wrestle with points that Cornel has brought to my attention... It’s a question of deepening – you have to think for yourself. Don’t be a tribalist. There are times when you have to break with the tribe because what the tribe is doing is wrong and you can’t go along with it.
If you’re unwilling to pay the price for breaking with the tribe, “you’ve just become a tribalist,” said George. “You’ve become an ideologue and you’re on your way to becoming a demagogue.”
Cornel West noted that the goal should be: “lift every voice – not lift every echo,” and feeding into the echo chamber is not a way to find truth. “You have to find your voice, and finding your voice is like finding your fingerprint,” said West. “It is so unique and singular it makes you irreproducible…” The whole 52-minute conversation is worth your watch, and can be found here.
In the News: Washington Post's Jay Mathews on Education Redlining
Over at WaPo, Jay Mathews argues "we must shed old fears of changing school boundaries to help poor and minority kids." The piece centers on the recent Urban Institute research highlighting how school attendance boundaries limit opportunity for millions of American students.
Mathews quotes 50CAN's Derrell Bradford, who noted "our insistence on assigning schools based on where children live 'doesn't stand up ... if you care about racial justice'," particularly when you show there are plenty of other types of schools (charters, magnets, etc.) "that don't use residence to get students."
CKI envisions a future where school enrollment is determined by family demand and equal opportunity, not a family's home address. To learn more, see our recent newsletter on the topic.
VELA Fund Releases Inspirational Year-End Report; Awards Hundreds of Microgrants
VELA Education Fund is a national, nonprofit fund dedicated to accelerating innovation through hundreds of small-dollar investments in education entrepreneurs serving families outside of traditional classrooms. In 2021, after its first full year in operation, VELA awarded more than 780 grants totaling over $8 million to everyday entrepreneurs pursuing nontraditional ways to support learners. All told, VELA grantees now reside in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than 50 percent of VELA grantees identify as people of color.
VELA's 2021 End-of-Year Report highlights the impact their grantees are making. The report includes stories of incredible demand for grantees' programs, of delight-driven learning, and of children and families in every corner of this country leading lives that align with their values. Check out Vela’s engaging year-end microsite!
In December 2021 VELA Education Fund awarded more than 360 microgrants totaling over $3 million through its Fall 2021 microgrant program. The grants are supporting people and programs that are meeting students' and families' unique education needs across the country. New Fall 2021 grantees meeting the moment include:
Urban Explorers of Chicago | Chicago, IL
Janice Cowley taught in Chicago Public Schools for 17 years. But during the pandemic, upset at the challenges her students and families faced, Cowley decided to try something radically different: she bought an RV, retrofitted the interior to look like a classroom, and started her own microschool. Students from preschool through 5th-grade board the bus and travel to different Chicago neighborhoods, where they learn about each area’s history and explore its parks and small businesses, all with an emphasis on science, technology, arts, engineering, and math (STEAM). “What do you do when you're a creative and innovative teacher in the middle of a pandemic?” asked Cowley, who refers to her mobile microschool as an urban magic school bus. “You start your own school! Not just any school, but a cool ‘school on wheels’ with a unique mission.” Follow along at Urban Explorers of Chicago.
Albuquerque Sign Language Academy | Albuquerque, NM
The Albuquerque Sign Language Academy provides direct instruction in American Sign Language to all students, making it the only school in the nation that is state certified as dual- language ASL-English. The school serves 115 students across grades K-12, and as many students are deaf or hard-of-hearing as are hearing. Almost all the hearing students have a relative who is deaf, and the school’s unique model allows families to learn and grow together. In addition to its focus on sign language, the school also prioritizes nature-based learning and will expand its outdoor offerings through its grant from VELA. “We’re excited to be connected to VELA Education Fund and expand opportunities for hands-on, outdoor conservation education,” said Rafe Martinez, the school’s executive director. “VELA’s support goes a long way in helping our deaf and special needs students have access to the outdoors.” Learn more at Albuquerque Sign Language Academy.
River's Ridge Homeschool Horsemanship | Riceville, TN
Amber Passamonte plans to turn her 15-acre family farm in rural Tennessee into an education laboratory. Passamonte is a former veterinarian technician who is now a mom of twin 5-year-olds. She started homeschooling her children during the pandemic and joined a co-op; with the VELA grant, Passamonte will be able to regularly host homeschooling students at her farm to learn a variety of subjects through horsemanship. Passamonte plans to leverage horses to teach everything from physiology to math to literature. “My family’s priorities are to have a safe, relaxed environment while exposing their kids to something new,” said Passamonte. “They value the flexibility of homeschooling and letting our students grow and learn at our pace, while teaching patience, kindness, and grace. We all are just trying to raise good humans!”
For more inspiring VELA “everyday entrepreneur” education stories follow VELA on twitter @VelaEdFund.
New Afterschool Alliance report explores awarding students credit for work done outside the classroom
The Afterschool Alliance recently released a new brief, Credit for Learning: Making Learning Outside of School Count, which explores ways in which afterschool programs can provide kids with opportunities to explore their interests and participate in activities that also allow them to earn credits toward their graduation requirements. It showcases state policies and school programs embracing the model.
This concept, sometimes referred to as Learn Everywhere, is a policy concept that contains tremendous potential. By awarding credit for learning wherever and whenever it happens, education systems can truly embrace their ethos of "lifelong learning." And by unleashing the ingenuity of the community, students will have greater opportunities to match their interests with hands on, project-based opportunities to learn while doing.
CKI Partners Schoolhouse.world, Empowered, Diane Tavenner, and Outschool featured in video series from Stand Together and FreeThink
Several CKI partners have been featured in a series of videos from Stand Together and FreeThink that focus on what a transformed, student-centered system of education in the U.S. can look like.
Learn how Schoolhouse.world helped 52-year-old Carl McGrone progress towards obtaining his high school diploma with help from his 14-year-old tutor Sachin Syal. Carl received peer-to-peer tutoring and felt empowered to achieve what was once a lost dream. Carl and Sachin’s story highlights how Schoolhouse.world’s unique tutoring platform provides opportunities for trusting relationships between tutors and learners to help every person reach their full potential.
Learn about Diane Tavenner’s and Summit School’s vision for the future of education where kids can learn through mentorship and project-based learning to continuously improve their scholarship and “fail forward” to discover their unique education strengths.
Learn how Empowered is helping educators to teach real-world experiences that can improve teacher engagement and retention and increase student engagement and learning outcomes.
Learn how Outschool provides kids the best teachers from anywhere in the world. For example, Gordon Chambers wrote hits for Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Brandy and many more. Now he’s teaching music classes online through Outschool.
Subscribe to Stand Together to learn more about these changemakers and sign up to receive regular updates featuring innovators revolutionizing education.