Giving Compass' Take:

· Writing for The 74, Paul Hill shares his research on reform of public elementary and secondary education and discusses the future of school governance. Hill expresses the need to approach governance with an open mind and ensure that we are creating the workforce needed for the future.

· How can donors support efforts to effectively inform parents about educational options and school reform? What is currently being done to enhance student performance and prepare students for the future workforce? 

· Here's more insight on the future of education in America. 

A local public education system built for personalization and rapid adjustment to workforce demands must be open to innovation and make full use of learning opportunities outside of conventional schools. But it can’t be so atomized, chaotic, or dominated by irresponsible providers that families are unable to make informed choices for their children. Families need a comprehensible set of options and information about likely results for students, and communities need options that prepare young people for jobs that are likely to exist.

However, the need for some order must not drive out innovation and responsiveness to change. Students must be free to pursue — and providers free to offer — learning experiences that community leaders might not understand or prefer.

How to balance these conflicting needs? This essay sketches an approach to local governance that is consistent with openness to innovation and responsiveness to the demand for knowledge and skills, yet works to preserve informed choice and equity. Not all localities that aspire to nimbleness will adopt the principles described here, but they will likely find that current governance arrangements neither promote nimbleness nor truly protect the interests of children, families, or the community.

Read the full article about the future of school governance by Paul Hill at The 74.