Education
by Diana McFarland & Gianmarco Katz
What's the Problem?
Strong public schools are key to creating thriving communities. They attract new residents, develop skilled workforces, reduce inequality, and improve social mobility. Conversely, poor public schools entrench inequality, undermine student performance, and impair property values.
Budget cuts and deregulation also pose significant threats to schooling. The Department of Education (DOE) has established safeguards for students of all races, home languages, genders, special education status, and those who live in poverty. Yet recent federal action threatens to “abolish the DOE”, leaving it up to states and local communities to fill the void. Take, for example, the $840 million in federal funds sent to Wisconsin for school meals, special education services, and mental health programs.
In today’s landscape, local school district leadership and community support are one of the last lines of defense for the nation’s most vulnerable students. Public school advocates can support children and communities by pursuing progressive policies like universal Pre-K, free school meals, restorative justice, community schools, accessible facilities, and insourced services. Moreover, these efforts must engage community members to ensure all voices are included as solutions are developed.
What are People Currently Doing?
Early Childhood Education
Educational opportunities in the first three years significantly impact the rest of a child’s life, and young children are especially vulnerable to the impact of social injustice during times of economic decline. Children and their families often depend on inadequate county and state programs, which can have long-term impacts on academic and employment outcomes. Elected officials should implement policies that support high-quality early childhood education programs that include curricula and assessments that address the whole child, highly qualified teachers, and individualized student support. For cities looking to take advantage of federally-funded Head Start and Early Head Start, see ProGov21’s library for resources on partnerships between local, state, and federal programs.
Universal Pre-K programs are another high-impact strategy for school districts looking to raise academic achievement, graduation rates, and even adult employment and wages. The National Institute for Early Education Research provides evidence-based best practices for designing and implementing Pre-K programs, covering everything from stakeholder engagement to data-driven evaluation strategies. Boston’s Universal Pre-K program and the Seattle Preschool Program are both examples of seamless educational pipelines that ensure standards, curriculum, assessment, and instruction are coordinated together across the entire education system. Illinois State University has published public resources and datasets demonstrating that a seamless education serves young children more effectively and supports more positive academic, behavioral, health, and family outcomes.
Equitable Education for All Students
Public schools are one of the only places in society where people from all races, genders, abilities, and socioeconomic statuses come together for a shared purpose. In order for all students to have an equitable opportunity to succeed, schools must provide targeted support.
School environments should be nurturing and supportive of all students, no matter their immigration status or home language, and must mitigate against the school-to-prison pipeline. Exclusionary practices and over-policing exacerbate pre-existing academic difficulties and increase the likelihood of incarceration. Instead of enforcing zero tolerance policies for vulgarity or dress code violations, school leaders should promote student voices and implement restorative justice practices to strengthen trust. Moreover, districts must build the workplace capacity for culturally diverse and affirming learning spaces.
Student academic success builds on foundational access to reliable transportation, secure meals, safe supervision before and after school, and physical/mental health services. The federal McKinney-Vento Act requires local education agencies to provide stable access to school for students experiencing homelessness. Districts can combat truancy through a tiered approach to attendance, reducing punitive policies and increasing wrap-around services. For many students, school is where they receive their healthiest and most consistent meals. To prevent any student from going hungry, schools should offer free breakfast and lunch to students year-round, and practices that penalize children for things like “school lunch debt” must be eliminated.
School leaders must ensure all students are safe, included, and respected in school regardless of their gender identity or expression. Facilities must be designed and maintained to be inclusive and accessible for all students and staff. The National Women’s Law Center has developed guides to help stop pushout, for girls of color, LGBTQ girls, girls who are pregnant or parenting, girls in foster care, girls who have survived sexual violence, homeless girls, and girls who have spent time in the juvenile justice system. While these guides are specifically targeted towards young women, the policies they recommend will benefit all students.
College and Career Readiness
The transition from K-12 education into career and college pathways should be collaborative and intentional. School Boards nationwide should consider modeling policies after California’s Department of Education which requires that all students understand workers’ rights including minimum wage laws, unemployment insurance, workplace safety, and more. Youth employment and apprenticeship programs help students build resumes prior to graduation, and adult transition programs continue to age 21 for students with special needs. For students who plan to attend a technical college or university, Children’s Savings Accounts can provide financial stability and bridge the racial wealth divide.
Taking it to the Next Level
Municipalities and school districts share constituencies. In times of crisis, it is essential that cities and school districts work in tandem to ensure the safety and security of their communities. An interlocal or mutual aid agreement can ensure coordinated emergency responses between multiple agencies. This might mean use of school facilities during a natural disaster or emergency services response during a school shooting. In times of resource scarcity, they can also utilize collaborative funding strategies, including using the expiration of Pay in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements, parcel taxes, or increasing the marginal tax rate on high-earners in jurisdictions that allow municipal income taxes.
Both entities have a vested interest in making mutually beneficial decisions and have influential purchasing power. Cities can create Community Learning Hubs to support families outside regular school hours so students can come to school better prepared to learn and succeed. Community School Programs provide comprehensive resources through strategic partnerships with families and local education agencies. Services should address the needs of the community they serve, but may include after school programming, English language classes, career services, mental health services, or legal services for students facing deportation. In Muscoy, CA, local elected officials came together to address air quality and transportation infrastructure issues that put students at risk. The Safe Routes Partnership published this guide to help local officials identify and address traffic safety hazards in school areas. Local Progress also compiled nuanced advice for expanding fleets of electric vehicles while utilizing equitable procurement practices.
Allies, Advocates, and Advisors
Mayors Innovation Project, our sister organization, is a national learning network for mayors committed to shared prosperity, environmental sustainability, and efficient democratic government.