WASHINGTON — As partisan battles rage over library books, school choice, and the future of the U.S. Department of Education, a new report from the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) warns that both major political parties have abandoned serious efforts to improve public education. “A New Compact for Educational Excellence,” authored by PPI Director of Education Policy Rachel Canter, warns that while Republicans pursue an ideological push toward privatization, Democrats have retreated from reform and ceded ground to defenders of a broken status quo.
Recent federal data underscore the scale and urgency of the challenge: fewer than one in three eighth graders read at grade level, 40% of fourth graders fall below basic literacy, and NAEP scores remain well below pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, seven in ten Americans express dissatisfaction with the nation’s schools, according to Gallup.
“We are sending millions of children back to school this fall, but we’re doing so without a clear plan for how to help them succeed,” said Canter. “Too many national and state leaders have abandoned the charge of improving America’s public schools, putting the future of millions of children at risk. Now is the time to rally behind a new compact with families that restores excellence, choice, and accountability to public education.”
Canter outlines a sweeping nine-point reform agenda to rebuild public education and restore national confidence in schools:
- A goal of universal literacy by fourth grade; numeracy by eighth grade; and reading and math skills by graduation that enable students to succeed beyond high school.
- A larger voice for parents in school policies and decisions.
- A high-quality early childhood education program for every family that seeks one.
- A bridge from K-12 to adulthood.
- An expansion of public school choice and school autonomy.
- An unwavering commitment to accountability for all schools that receive public dollars.
- A new model for the teaching profession.
- A strong but targeted national role.
- A civic education that teaches our children what it means to be an American.
“If we want every child in America to succeed, we must give families real choices within the public system, support schools in enacting effective policies and programs, and demand better outcomes from every school that receives public dollars,”
said Canter.
Read and download the report here.
The Reinventing America’s Schools Project seeks to refocus national leadership around proven strategies to improve public schools and educational achievement. We believe that American public schools must prepare children academically to be successful adults and citizens; families should have a voice in their child’s education, including a choice within the public system to find a school that best fits their child’s needs; and, though education is the province of the states, the federal government must protect the promise that every child will have access to a quality public education.Founded in 1989, PPI is a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to create radically pragmatic ideas for moving America beyond ideological and partisan deadlock. Find an expert and learn more about PPI by visiting progressivepolicy.org. Follow us @PPI.
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Media Contact: Ian O’Keefe – iokeefe@ppionline.org
