Back to School: What Should Education Prepare Young People For?

As students return to school, many communities are thinking about what education should provide beyond reading, math, and academic achievement. People may differ on the role schools should play in preparing young people for work, citizenship, independence, relationships, and life in a changing world.

At this meeting, we’ll explore how people across the political spectrum think about the purpose of education, what young people most need as they enter adulthood, and how responsibility should be shared among schools, families, and communities.

We’ll ask questions such as:

• What experiences from your own education have most shaped the way you think about schools today?
• When you think about young people entering adulthood, what do you most want schools to help them learn or become?
• What responsibilities should belong mainly to schools, and which should belong mainly to families or communities?
• How should schools balance academic skills, practical life skills, civic understanding, character, creativity, and preparation for work?

This will be an opportunity to explore different perspectives on education, responsibility, and what we hope for the next generation.

Boilerplate: Please do your best to arrive at the beginning of the meeting – once we are in breakout rooms and the conversations have started, the meeting doors close to new arrivals. The breakout rooms open (and the doors close) approximately 15 minutes after the hour.

We would love to hear your thoughts on our social media pages. Don't miss topic announcements, updates, news! Follow us on:

• Instagram @crossingpartylines
• Twitter @crosspartylines
• Facebook @crossingpartylines