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THE CURTAIN HAS BEEN PULLED BACK, as Forbes Contributor Nick Morrison points out in “There’s no going back now parents have seen behind the classroom curtain.” As one expert also told the author, “The greater use of technology in the classroom allows parents and teachers to communicate much more quickly and effectively.”  “Of all the shifts in education occasioned by the pandemic, perhaps the most significant and the one with the most far-reaching consequences is the greater involvement of parents in their children’s schooling.” It’s about time!

INNOVATIONS ABOUND.  “Parental ingenuity, combined with the creativity of our educators, businesses, and community leaders, led to new instructional settings like learning pods,” says LearnLaunch chief exec and former Massachusetts governor Jane Swift, but “our priority as leaders must be getting the innovations which have proven effective during the pandemic extended to all students and families.” She’s right that innovations are not equitably distributed.  Even more reason why funds must follow families, not failure.

WHAT MOST PARENTS SAW was not a vibrant effort to create home-based learning pods, or deploy the best of digital technologies. What they saw was districts delivering emergency education as best they knew how, entirely unprepared for what came before because they’ve been unable to change how they operate.  And that’s why so many students received an education like that reported from Baltimore just days ago, where a jaw-dropping, truly scandalous 40% of city schools students earned a grade of “D” or less. And from Chicago comes news that the union now demands over 4,000 new positions before they will teach again. No wonder many are reporting that increasing numbers of parents are hesitant to send their children back to the same system; their trust is shot.  New York Magazine pointed out just last week, “The Kids Were Safe From COVID the Whole Time.”

But the real story behind the tragic year that students lost is best described by this jaw-dropping opinion piece in the New York Post which argues cogently that  “If your child didn’t attend school regularly last year, Randi Weingarten is likely the reason why.”

CITY OF ANGELS VERSUS CATHOLIC SCHOOLS?  Like the wicked witch of the west, the Los Angeles school district denied millions in Title 1 funds to Catholic schools in 2019, despite both the law and what should be a moral obligation to ensure that schools that serve (and actually work for) the neediest of kids have what they need. Thankfully the courts ordered L.A. to pay what is owed to the Catholic Schools, but it shouldn’t have taken a lawsuit.

THE LATEST AT THE PIAZZA. If you’re not a subscriber yet you will be after listening to the talented and brilliant Ian Rowe, who shared his thoughts about how we might reclaim opportunity for all across the world. Let’s start with what kids are learning and what he calls ‘surmountable racism’ in America, and, well, you’ll want to hear the rest for yourself.  It’s just a preview of what is to come at the annual ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego on August 9-11, where Ian and CER’s Jeanne Allen will take center stage to discuss Equality of Opportunity, Individual Dignity, Common Humanity and America. And don’t forget to join us in Piazza for ongoing diverse discussions with CEOs and leaders in business, entertainment, education, religion and more, all dedicated to transforming public life.

CHEER AND JEERS…(you can decide which is which!) Show Me State Governor Mike Parsons signed the law creating the first private school choice program in the state of Missouri. In Florida, a K-12 IDEA Charter School is partnering with Jacksonville University to soon welcome 1,500 students to a brand new campus.  Getting Smart tells why ‘Small is the Next Big Idea’ in education innovation. And kudos to Southern Nevada Urban Micro Academy (SNUMA) which operated in-person every school day this past year and ensured that 100% of SNUMA students made at least one full year’s academic growth in reading/English language arts, and 87% posted at least two years’ growth.  The Volunteer State just approved 27 new virtual schools so that Tennessee parents would have an option. Maybe the Garden State needs to take a visit down south. New Jersey officials have told parents who want a  virtual option this year to take a hike.