Episode Details

Amy Valentine, Leader at Future of School has been called a social rabble rouser, a turnaround strategist and a fighter of the status quo in K–12 education. She has served as a teacher, school leader and executive director. 

• Gives scholarships to students and grants to teachers.
• National Non-profit to support the changing of schools.
• Why parents seek alternative methods of education.
• Why wasn’t emergency learning effective in spring 2020?
• We haven’t reached a tipping point.
• COVID 19 taught us that school is verb.
• How to demonstrate learning differently?
• It doesn’t take a lot of money.
• Fixed mindsets can be damaging.
• Education is a personal thing for everyone.
• Whatever it takes, all hands on deck.
• Seeing education from a different perspective.
• Role of teacher was elevated during pandemic.
• buzzword - student-centered learning.
• Crisis schooling - is not remote learning.
• You need to listen to that voice inside you.
• You’ve got all this education figured out.
• How to be a transformative principal? Bring your community together through 1 or 2 different mediums. Stay connected even if you don’t know your plan.
• Some data:
• American public perception of the K–12 education system has been remained steadily low over the last 20 years
• According to the most recent Gallup Poll, 47% of Americans expressed dissatisfaction with the K–12 education system (2019)
• According to the 2018 Gallup Poll, 71% of parents expressed satisfaction with the K–12 education system (2018)
• Americans’ Satisfaction With U.S. Education at 15-Year High
• [Gallup Satisfaction Surveys on Education]
(https://news.gallup.com/poll/1612/education.aspx)
• Seven in 10 Parents Satisfied With Their Child’s Education
• Why the discrepancy?  
• Not all “Americans” are parents; some are older and do not resonate with that title, others do not have children but own businesses; everyone pays taxes that go to schools;
• Not all “Americans” are parents; some are older and do not resonate with that title, others do not have children but own businesses; everyone pays taxes that go to fund and support schools
• Education is a third-rail political issue– nobody wants to touch it– highly charged
* Why have things stayed the same in our K–12 schools? the rate and pace of change in public schools not mirroring that of all other social institutions, policy constraints (which differ by state), limited school choice options (which differ by state), budget cuts (federal, state and local), a changing workforce, and nearly no alignment between the needs of businesses and what is being taught as part of required content/curriculum, lack of empowerment at the local level, fear of technology catalyzing the much needed change
• Not all “Americans” are parents; some are older and do not resonate with the role, others do not have children, others are business owners; BUT everyone pays taxes that go to fund schools
• A four-year degree is not the golden ticket that majestically ensures skills development to enter into the workforce
• Why is this? If Americans are generally dissatisfied, why have schools remained the same, in large part? Reasons for parental dissatisfaction with district/school/the K–12 education system? Parent has a child who struggles in the school (academically, socially, personally, emotionally, other…), life-changing event (family moves, job change, terminal illness, medical condition, etc…) or another personal crisis (denoted as a small