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We send our kids to school to get them ready for a successful future. So, it鈥檚 concerning that less than half of middle schoolers and high schoolers said school challenges them in a good way or gives them a chance to do what they鈥檙e best at every day. Only about half said they feel prepared for the future.

Equally concerning is the recent steep rise in kids missing too much school. of students missed 10% or more of the school year鈥攖he threshold for chronic absenteeism鈥攊n 2022-2023, the latest year for which we have nationwide data. 

As hard as teachers are working, school feels irrelevant for many kids. But it doesn鈥檛 have to be that way. When kids can see the connection between what they鈥檙e being taught and what the future holds, they learn.

It鈥檚 clear that our assignment as adults is this: Make sure our schools engage all kids, no matter their background or where they live. Every school can be a place for connection, rigorous learning, even joy. And when kids are prepared for the future, our country is, too.

It鈥檚 a good first step that schools are facing chronic absenteeism head on. A bipartisan coalition has declared curbing chronic absenteeism 鈥渟chool鈥檚 top priority鈥� this year. In that spirit, rural, urban, and suburban districts are applying to boost attendance.

These are important short-term efforts and can be a down payment toward a better education system. At the same time, we need a wider lens that holistically improves students鈥� experiences at school and how prepared they feel for future success.

In my 26 years working alongside many others to drive change for K鈥�12 education, I鈥檝e seen reform efforts tinker with discrete parts of the system. It鈥檚 not that we don鈥檛 know what kids need to succeed; we鈥檝e got to get better at expanding these efforts and putting them in place across the board, so all kids have access. And we must take a collective approach, with students, educators, families, and other stakeholders working together. 

We can do three things we can to accomplish that.

First, we must renew our focus, at every level of government and in every school system, on improving measurable student achievement in reading and math. We have plenty of evidence that ensuring students and by fourth and eighth sets them up for success. For example, research shows that taking Algebra I by eighth grade is the strongest indicator of college readiness and graduating college within four years. Yet too many students .

By leaning into the science of , we can make these subjects relevant and accessible for every student. As of this month, have passed legislation or put policies in place that promote evidence-based reading instruction. We can also fund and support promising new models, policies, and practices that ensure all students, regardless of their backgrounds, have an equal chance to excel.

And schools must be able to more easily find new ways to boost student engagement and learning. To that end, states could give districts more flexibility on requirements like seat-time, length of the school day, and grade-level grouping, all while ensuring a high level of academic rigor.

Second, let鈥檚 reimagine the role of the teacher鈥攊n every school district. One teacher in front of one classroom is how I learned, how my kids have learned, and how most students learn today. But it鈥檚 not the best recipe in our dynamic 21st century world for quality teaching or student learning.

The 鈥攚hich includes the organization I lead, Teach For America鈥攂elieves that modernizing teaching is key to ensuring all students realize their unique potential. Let鈥檚 give educators more flexibility to meet the high bar we set for them, change how we staff schools so teachers and students are more supported, boost teacher pay, and give educators the tools to help every child grow and achieve.

Already, districts from Arizona to Kansas City to Washington, D.C., are using team-based teaching, and helping kids succeed with tutoring, such as Teach For America鈥檚 virtual tutoring program. But we need to do more of these things, in more school districts.

Finally, we must truly prepare kids for life after their K鈥�12 schooling鈥攚hich would make classwork feel more relevant for many students. High-quality programs that ensure students have options after high school鈥攚hether they choose college or career鈥攃an be a part of every child鈥檚 education.

The Rooted School, founded by Teach For America alumnus Jonathan Johnson, provides for how this can be done. The school鈥檚 four locations鈥擭ew Orleans, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, and Vancouver, Wash.鈥攊ntegrate early college experience with a strong school culture and give students 鈥渁 voice and choice鈥� in what they鈥檙e learning. Work-based learning starts freshman year with Friday internships. The school day includes counseling, career planning and jobs skills education. All students leave with 鈥渁 job offer in one hand and a college acceptance letter in the other.鈥漈hese three key steps to transforming American education go hand in hand with other goals, such as ensuring students have safe and welcoming schools and that they鈥檙e building important life skills such as empathy, self-regulation, and critical thinking. Working together, we can build a better kind of education鈥攐ne that meets every child鈥檚 needs and aspirations and prepares them to go out into the world and realize their dreams.

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