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I wonder what the impact will be for students who feel as though their hard work is being minimally awarded into just categories rather than feeling a sense of individual pride for their scholastic achievements.

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I wonder what the impact will be for students who feel as though their hard work is being minimally awarded into just categories rather than feeling a sense of individual pride for their scholastic achievements.

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More Pittsburgh-area school districts are eliminating class rank

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At first thought, Anissa Stafford found the Southmoreland School District’s idea to eliminate class rank

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Compared to the article about class rank, the fact that schools see that students pile on AP courses while not being interested in the course or having it be useful for a future career while causing severe stress, it is definitely questionable whether or not they are worth it in the first place. I think unless you have the opportunity and are driven by wanting to prep for college by getting some gen eds out of the way before you enter, maybe consider taking other classes or electives.

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Compared to the article about class rank, the fact that schools see that students pile on AP courses while not being interested in the course or having it be useful for a future career while causing severe stress, it is definitely questionable whether or not they are worth it in the first place. I think unless you have the opportunity and are driven by wanting to prep for college by getting some gen eds out of the way before you enter, maybe consider taking other classes or electives.

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Opinion: Are AP exams truly benefiting talented students?

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Investigating the consequences of the College Board’s AP program.

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I don't think it should have taken COVID to really show how education needs a fixing. I think parents are right in the idea that every student deserves an individualized experience that meets their needs and makes them happy and we need to do a better job at highlighting opportunities outside of a stereotypical classroom setting because that is the only way students grow as people rather than a body in a classroom.

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I don't think it should have taken COVID to really show how education needs a fixing. I think parents are right in the idea that every student deserves an individualized experience that meets their needs and makes them happy and we need to do a better job at highlighting opportunities outside of a stereotypical classroom setting because that is the only way students grow as people rather than a body in a classroom.

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Families share a common goal: to raise happy, flourishing children. Education is a big part of achieving that, but the way children are educated - and the way parents feel about their education - has been following the same, one-size-fits all modalities for decades.

The pressures that the COVID-19 pandemic put on school systems have inspired parents to look beyond the status quo and toward new models of education that are more focused on individual students.

Understanding the issues impacting every family

According to a new report released by Tyton Partners, Stand Together Trust, and the Walton Family Foundation, the majority of families in the U.S. want an evolved K-12 education system that offers more tailor-made experiences - both inside and outside of school - that reflect their child's needs and interests.

The Choose to Learn 2022 report surveyed over 3,000 parents of K-12 children, and more than 150 K-12 providers all across America. It explored what families desire in terms of more tailored K-12 educational experiences, how the current system is falling short, and strategies the K-12 ecosystem can take to re-center itself around the needs of learners and families.

"In viewing K-12 through a broad lens, we set out to better understand the issues impacting every family," says lead author and Tyton Partners Senior Principal Christian Lehr. "[This includes the] more than forty million parents who send their children to public school."

The report found that:

59% of families said the pandemic had shifted their views on educational choices for their children.

51% of families said children's personal needs and interests should be the primary driver of the learning experience, rather than standardized grade-level requirements.

79% of families believe learning can - and should - happen everywhere, not only inside the classroom.

The main takeaway was that families want a K-12 ecosystem that grants them more agency to prioritize the academic and personal outcomes that matter most to them.

Families often have had to compromise on some aspect of their child's education. This is especially true for parents from underserved backgrounds, who often have to make educational decisions for their children based only on core needs: cost, convenience, and safety.

Many families lack the resources to pursue extracurricular activities and other experiences that might help children develop their passions and realize their personal potential. Families also sometimes lack the awareness that programs outside of school even exist.

And that's a major problem, considering the report revealed that parents value their children's happiness over any other outcome in the K-12 ecosystem.

Overall, the traditional, one-size-fits-all model of education can fail to inspire joy, a love of learning, and the true chance for a kid to grow into their best selves. Families need solutions that support children's long-term personal and educational goals, build career opportunities, and spark passion and curiosity.

Increasing demand for new models of education

The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it some opportunities for change. For many parents, the pandemic offered new options in learning - distance learning, learning pods, home-based classrooms - that offered a glimpse into a kind of student-focused environment many hadn't seen before.

It showed that learning can and should happen everywhere. And it made many hungry for a K-12 landscape that is inclusive of in- and out-of-school learning opportunities tailored to each student's unique interests and talents.

"There is a clear call for us to collectively build towards a more student-centered future in K-12 education," says Newman. But while parents generally share the same goals, their abilities to reach them are not as equal.

Children from lower-income families were found to be almost 50% less likely not to pursue learning and activities outside of the classroom. The report identified a few ways a robust, student-focused K-12 classroom ecosystem can help solve this problem.

Providing an individualized education for every child

The report highlighted two solutions in particular that provide more opportunities for both in- and out-of-school learning for every child: access to education savings accounts (ESAs) and microgrants.

ESAs give parents money directly that can be used to pay for tutoring, tuition, or after-school activities. Microgrants - like those provided by the VELA Education Fund, which is part of the Stand Together community, and some local school districts - invest in people who are building custom solutions to meet students' needs by boldly reimagining education in their communities.

The report clearly shows that families want agency in educational decisions. All children - regardless of background, personal strengths, or interests - stand to benefit from a more individualized educational vision.

To achieve that vision, the report noted that a healthy K-12 ecosystem should include more:

Availability of student-centric educational offerings across the K-12 ecosystem

Awareness of these offerings across all communities

Affordability of experiences and reduction of out-of-pocket costs

Accessibility of offerings that are convenient for all families

"Our local public districts play a crucial role for K-12 families," says Lehr. "At the same time, families crave a wide variety of learning experiences."

"It is in this spirit," he says, "that we examined parents' aspirations at the intersection of in- and out-of-school learning, and asked: How can the K-12 sector deliver a stronger union of academic, extracurricular, and personal outcomes for all families, regardless of life or economic circumstances?"
The Stand Together community, which includes the VELA Education Fund, has helped provide 2.4 million K-12 students access to individualized learning options nationwide.

Learn more about Stand Together's K-12 education reform efforts.

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Parents want options and new models of education for their children, new study finds

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Parents want new models of education for their children. Click to learn about the new study that makes the case for new education models.

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If I become a mother one day, I would hope that maybe our public school systems would have improved but if they don't and alternative schools are proven to be better, I would consider trying a non-traditional school. I am eager to see what other innovations in education we make over the next decade.

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If I become a mother one day, I would hope that maybe our public school systems would have improved but if they don't and alternative schools are proven to be better, I would consider trying a non-traditional school. I am eager to see what other innovations in education we make over the next decade.

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What would the world have been like if all adults had the chance to choose from an array of unconventional learning opportunities? In what ways might people think differently if they'd been encouraged to do so from an early age?

These questions are being asked across the United States, where parents are pushing for more student-centered learning options.

Student-centered learning transforms education by placing each student in the driver's seat of their learning journey. Unlike traditional school systems, curriculums aren't the same for every child. They're built around each student's interests. In most cases, when a student gets a say in what and how they study, this is all it takes to get them engaged in their education. The classroom becomes a hub of exploration. Students take the lead, and teachers offer support and guidance along their chosen learning paths. This model fuels curiosity, innovation, and a lifelong love for learning.

Parents are increasingly seeking student-centered learning options for their children. Policymakers have noticed. In 2023, 18 states expanded school choice offerings:

In September, North Carolina joined nine other states in offering universal school vouchers that make more options for K-12 students possible.

Parents in Florida no longer have to meet income requirements for voucher programs.

Idaho students can attend any public school district, regardless of zip code.

Ohio allocated almost $2 billion towards a new school voucher program.

In Montana, children with special needs can qualify for education savings accounts.

Arkansas, Utah, Nebraska, Alabama, South Carolina, and Oklahoma all offer education tax credits or opportunity scholarships to be used at any school of choice.

The list is growing. According to recent data from Tyton Partners, which is funded by Stand Together Trust and the Walton Family Foundation, parents want educational environments better suited to their children's needs and interests. This has especially been true since the COVID-19 pandemic forced so many children into new schooling environments that ended up being better for them.

School is no longer one-size-fits-all. Parents have many options to find an education that suits their individual child. Below are three non-traditional learning options that focus on students, not systems.

1. Microschools: small learner-focused schools

Microschools are intentionally small learning environments that come in many flavors: classical education, Montessori, language immersion, arts, culture, outdoor adventure, STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math education), technology, project-based and student led.

The shared theme, regardless of a school's particular focus, is student-centered learning. This is also what makes them distinct from traditional public schools. The curriculums may be rigorous or relaxed, age-specific or mixed, but they are always flexible and student-centered.

Parents like microschools because small class sizes allow for close relationships among families and educators. This fosters a supportive community that cares for each student academically, socially, and emotionally.

Microschool founders are responding to parents' increasing discontent with schools that expect students to conform to the school's agenda, not the other way around.

"We talk to people all the time that have gotten to this point of frustration, where they're looking for options for their child," says Kelly Smith, founder of Prenda, an organization providing tools and support for microschool entrepreneurs.

At a Prenda school, "We call the adult in charge of a microschool a learning guide," he says. "Instead of being the one transmitting information, their role really is to help these young people develop into learners."

Ashley Soifer started Southern Nevada Urban Micro Academy to meet the needs of her own daughter, who, by fourth grade, had internalized her inability to meet public school expectations, so much that she believed "it would have been better off if she had never been born."

"That was a huge eye opener to me, that, woah, something has to change," Soifer says.

Other parents noticed, and soon Soifer and her husband were advising 20 microschools in Nevada and in places as far as West Virginia and Mississippi.

At Acton Academy Red Rock, different age groups in a single classroom encourage children to learn from one another. Curriculum is flexible, adaptable, and student-focused. Each student's unique strengths and talents inform their specific curriculum.

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3 non-traditional schools that focus on students, not systems

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Student-centered learning transforms education by placing each student in the driver's seat of their learning journey. Unlike traditional school systems, curriculums aren't the same for every child.

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With the death toll from Helene, especially in this area, I can't imagine students ever returning to school, if they even had one to go to or teachers to teach or classmates to see. The emotional and financial trauma will follow these families and I hope that they are able to find a way to get their education back on track because climate and natural disasters should not inhibit their education and what is depending on it.

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With the death toll from Helene, especially in this area, I can't imagine students ever returning to school, if they even had one to go to or teachers to teach or classmates to see. The emotional and financial trauma will follow these families and I hope that they are able to find a way to get their education back on track because climate and natural disasters should not inhibit their education and what is depending on it.

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‘They regress’: kids struggle without school and structure after Helene

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Families cope as experts say learning disruptions caused by hurricane can set children back for years

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I think it is great they decided to use this tragedy as an opportunity to take field trips and get students outside and exploring because in a time where they have lost their school, being with classmates and their teachers is vital to keeping the relationship between the school community strong. 

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I think it is great they decided to use this tragedy as an opportunity to take field trips and get students outside and exploring because in a time where they have lost their school, being with classmates and their teachers is vital to keeping the relationship between the school community strong. 

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L.A. area school destroyed in wildfire helps students thrive amid devastation: “We still have each other”

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A school that was destroyed in the Los Angeles area wildfires is finding innovative ways to keep their students engaged while they search for a permanent solution.

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Food insecurity is a huge issue facing students across the nation and while this might be tough to implement, it's something that probably needs to be done and proceed throughout the country. Hopefully we have some changes in the DOE and this can be fought for so that American students don't go hungry in a world where education funds go to things other than actually providing students the meals they deserve.

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Food insecurity is a huge issue facing students across the nation and while this might be tough to implement, it's something that probably needs to be done and proceed throughout the country. Hopefully we have some changes in the DOE and this can be fought for so that American students don't go hungry in a world where education funds go to things other than actually providing students the meals they deserve.

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Under new DPI proposal, breakfast and lunch would be free for all Wisconsin K-12 students

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On Friday, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly proposed making school breakfast and lunch free for all K-12 students in Wisconsin.

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I am disappointed that we aren't doing more to serve the populations that need food. If school is free to attend, why force students to pay for meals and then make them jump through hoops to get reduced or free lunch? I hope that we can figure something out because I think all students regardless of financial status should be eligible to be fed for free during the day.

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I am disappointed that we aren't doing more to serve the populations that need food. If school is free to attend, why force students to pay for meals and then make them jump through hoops to get reduced or free lunch? I hope that we can figure something out because I think all students regardless of financial status should be eligible to be fed for free during the day.

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House Republicans float plan to cut Community Eligibility Provision

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The budget reconciliation provision would raise eligibility requirements for low-income schools and districts to serve free meals to all students.

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While I advocate for parental rights, I wonder what can of worms this can open up and if parent-child relationships can be tested as well. I wonder how I would have felt in middle school checking books out of the library if every time I did my parents were notified, but as an adult I also would hope that parents know what their children are reading, so this seems like a muck.

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While I advocate for parental rights, I wonder what can of worms this can open up and if parent-child relationships can be tested as well. I wonder how I would have felt in middle school checking books out of the library if every time I did my parents were notified, but as an adult I also would hope that parents know what their children are reading, so this seems like a muck.

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Proposal advances to modernize parental involvement in Nebraska K-12 education • Nebraska Examiner

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Lawmakers advanced a measure designed to increase parental involvement in K-12 learning and expand access to certain educational materials.

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I think using AI to help bridge the gap between the classroom and the parents at home is something I wish I had back when I was in school because I think sharing what is going on in the classroom and having innovative ways of sharing information makes going to school a more positive experience for everyone involved. 

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I think using AI to help bridge the gap between the classroom and the parents at home is something I wish I had back when I was in school because I think sharing what is going on in the classroom and having innovative ways of sharing information makes going to school a more positive experience for everyone involved. 

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How Generative AI Improves Parent Engagement in K–12 Schools

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With its ability to automate and personalize communication, generative artificial intelligence is the ideal technological fix for strengthening parent involvement in students’ education.