5 Aspects of the US Education System that are Going Well

As the 2021-22 school year came to a close, PowerMyLearning’s CEO & Co-Founder Elisabeth Stock participated in an interview with Authority Magazine to discuss the US Education system – what’s going well and where there is room for improvement.

As we enter the 2022-23 school year, let’s revisit five aspects of the US education system that Elisabeth thinks are going well:

1. Motivated Families:The pandemic gave families a front row seat to their children’s learning, and 82% of families are looking forward to being more involved with their children’s school than in past years. At PowerMyLearning, we believe families are invaluable assets to their children’s learning, and we find this trend to be extremely positive.
2. Greater Focus on Student Wellbeing: The pandemic acted as a catalyst for sparking a focus on wellbeing in schoolsso that students can thrive. I am encouraged to hear frequent recognition of student wellbeing and its impact on learning, as well as seeing the new initiatives underway in schools to improve how teachers provide trauma-informed instruction, including what PowerMyLearning is doing through our professional development for teachers and capacity-building workshops for families on these topics.
3. Districts and Schools Building Capacity of Both Teachers and Families: As Dr. Karen Mapp, an advisor to PowerMyLearning, describes in her paper Embracing a New Normal: Toward a More Liberatory Approach to Family Engagement, major school districts such as Baltimore City, D.C. Public Schools, Richmond, and New York City have established senior cabinet positions reporting directly to the superintendent focused on family and community engagement efforts. This structure is helping to elevate the importance of family and community engagement. We are also seeing really great work in building capacity of both teachers and families happening at the school level. To learn more check out this interview I did with Dr. Mapp.
4. Teachers Embracing Effective Instructional Practices to Accelerate Learning: I’m encouraged by the instruction happening in our schools. In PowerMyLearning’s partner schools, it’s particularly gratifying to see teachers we work with share new approaches with one another such as providing targeted instructional supports for students, using trauma-informed practices, and encouraging higher levels of learning by asking their students better questions.
5. Unprecedented Resources: The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relieffunding has provided unprecedented resources to the tune of nearly $200 billion in additional federal funding to support the academic, social-emotional, and safety needs of students. PowerMyLearning has seen a huge uptick in demand for our work, which is making a meaningful difference in meeting the needs of the moment for students, teachers, and families.

Curious about Elisabeth’s recommendations for how we can improve the US education system? Check out her full interview from Authority Magazine.