In my last blog, I detailed all the obvious and insidious ways opponents of equitable education reform try to stifle progress. Opponents are relentless, and their strategies are calibrated to sow doubt and discord throughout every level of the debate. Even those who should be your most staunch allies in this fight aren’t always showing up on the side you expect.
It can be disheartening at times, especially when you’re trying to reform from inside the system, where the competition is most fierce. But if you’re a policymaker and you’re reading this, we need you to stay strong, because we can’t win this for today’s children and generations of children to come without a stalwart advocate at the table.
How We Win
Even though American public education is in its most vulnerable state in decades—just 42% report being content with their child’s education as of September 2022—this doesn’t represent a historical norm.
As recently as 2019, that same survey reported 51% satisfaction. As the disruption of the pandemic gets further in the rearview, there is reason to believe that this number can rebound. And with the right strategies, local, motivated policymakers can help us get there.
It’s so important I’ll repeat it: Addressing funding disparities is the most direct and immediate change we can strive for.
In many cases, a paradigm shift to an abundance mindset is urgently needed. Many school boards and local governments have been conditioned to operate from a scarcity mindset that insists there simply isn’t enough to go around. I’ve written extensively about this shift before. It’s the most profound thing we can do to change minds and overhaul current funding models.
With adequate funding, a school can improve overnight. And student outcomes won’t follow too far behind. Education at historically underfunded schools can become proactive and engaging rather than stagnant and monotonous. Schools can more actively support teachers. Teachers can take more ownership over their professional development.
In the process, their training modernizes the curriculum, ensuring that each child receives a 21st-century education. With modern curriculum comes modern technology that closes the digital divide. Digital inclusion that makes sure every classroom is connected, and every student develops the digital skills needed to succeed in the modern world is one of the most transformative consequences of a focus on equitable funding.
As your work continues, opponents and skeptics will question everything you do and everything you want. So, your reform efforts must be evidence-based. Plenty of practices have been proven to work, and if they aren’t the backbone of your theory of change, your reform efforts will be especially vulnerable. You want to position your changes so that when they are inevitably challenged, you can demonstrate that proposed changes are grounded in research and why your district can expect similar results.
With success will come even more scrutiny. If your message is getting through, whatever results you achieve will be questioned relentlessly. Surely, you’re hiding something. You’re manipulating the data. This is all a lark. Your reform needs to stand up to those claims at all times. Any gaps will discredit your efforts, and those setbacks don’t just last a news cycle. They could represent years of goodwill squandered.
So, a transparent approach to communication, accountability, and assessment is necessary. People need to know with total clarity what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, how you’re going to do it, how you will measure success, and what contingencies exist that you’re prepared to consider.
Reform doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It isn’t even limited to houses of government. Even though you’re trying to fix the problem from the inside, it’s critical to capture the energy of those throwing stones at the house because not all of them are ill-intentioned. Your reform will need the support of engaged parents, community leaders, and community organizations. Coalitions and alliances might already be aligned with your goals and have already done much of the organizing for you. Work with them to fortify your movement and rally the political will to see your changes through, no matter what the opposition tries.
How To Protect Hard-Won Changes
So, what happens when we win? Just because some changes or adjustments have been made, it doesn’t guarantee permanence. Incrementalism goes both ways, and funding decisions this year might be reversed next year. That’s why any equitable education reform movement needs policymakers on its side.
To protect our hard-won changes we have to be able to enshrine reforms into law. Laws are a lot harder to change than someone’s mind! Once your changes become law they can endure political attacks and shifting public sentiment without threatening the quality education to which every child should be entitled.
And even when we get a law on the books, the fight isn’t over. There’s always more we can be doing, and opponents don’t skulk into the background because we got a win. Be well-assured that they are at the drawing board day and night to find ways to challenge or reverse new laws. They’re probably even working on passing legislation of their own.
The endless push and pull can create real fatigue for your cause. As the voices behind your reforms dwindle, public sentiment will wane, and old vulnerabilities will be revealed again. To avoid this kind of fatigue, have a long term vision of systemic reform that you can relate to colleagues, parents, administrators, and even students. Each victory needs to be a stop on the road that helps your movement sustain momentum rather than a destination in itself.
That means keeping your messaging relevant, speaking to the problems as they exist in that moment, and regularly updating data so that you can pinpoint persistent disparities and areas for attention. The result could be pivoting to a new cause, or reacting to an emerging threat, so be prepared to shift gears as needed.
Reframing the debate among your people in real-time can help maintain a sense of urgency and keep the energy flowing through all stakeholders. With fresh messaging and reliable, up-to-date data, allies can keep the public informed, pressure decision-makers, and sustain momentum.
A successful reform movement won’t just have one policymaker on its side, but many. As the work expands, your scope of influence won’t be enough to sustain things. Be open to working with fellow board members or council members to get things done. Be on the lookout for unexpected allies who might be able to take on a leadership role in a space you can’t hold. It’s okay if you find yourself reaching across the aisle. Even though education is increasingly politicized, many still hold a special reverence for it, and more still could be facing pressure from constituents that move them in your direction.
Leadership development will help carry your reform vision forward exponentially. Work with leaders of community organizations and coalitions to identify potential leaders. Give them the talking points they need to make the political argument that wins over needed demographics. Empowering staffers to take on a leadership role within their levels of influence can help ensure that there is always a new generation of leaders ready to take over.
Stay In the Fight
Politics is a world of compromise. At least, it’s supposed to be.
Education has been on the wrong end of wrong-headed political compromise for too long. As a policymaker, many decisions will reach your desk that require careful calculation. But, if you’re serious about education reform, you must be unwavering in your resolve. It’s a political and cultural lightning rod, and your fear that you won’t be able to make a difference if you make too many waves and get voted out is valid, but education reform is a winner if you get it right.
What’s more, it’s a moral imperative. The inequities we see are obvious and deep-seated, but they are not immutable.
I hope this two-part guide helps you orient your work towards creating a more equitable education system that has the potential to give every child the future they deserve.
When the fight seems unwinnable and the relentlessness of the opposition too tenacious, remember that children can’t advocate for themselves, that you’re uniquely positioned to make a profound difference, and that you aren’t alone in this fight.