From the CEO: Education priorities now and in the future

This edition of Kappan features an interview with former Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. He gives an insider’s perspective about the national landscape of education as he experienced it during his time serving in the Joe Biden administration. While Kappan is a nonpartisan publication and not aligned with a particular political ideology, our interview was designed to showcase what priorities existed during former President Biden’s term and to look ahead to the priorities that the Donald Trump administration and the new secretary of education may consider for America’s public schools. To that end, I asked the secretary what advice he’d give to the next leaders of the Department of Education. (At the time of this writing, the Senate has not confirmed nominee Linda McMahon.)

Some clear priorities will cross party lines. As you may have seen in the 2024 PDK Poll, there is broad bipartisan support for programs that prepare students to enter the workforce. Americans, and specifically parents, want to make sure schools prepare students for their future. Additionally, there was clear bipartisan support for recruiting and retaining great teachers. This work to end teacher shortages is essential to our new mission and vision statements at PDK International. We hope to be a thought leader with policy makers on this work.

Another policy area of focus will likely be ensuring that our schools are safe for both students and staff. While the 2022 PDK Poll showed broad support among Americans for such safety measures as mental health screenings, metal detectors, and police in schools, their support for each measure is not necessarily strong, and some partisan differences exist. Even if Americans do not agree on the best solutions, they should agree on the outcome. Teachers deserve a safe environment to do their best work, and students need to learn in an environment that does not induce fear and stress.

Finally, another issue we know will be important to the next administration is support for parents to have a voice in their communities about school activities. There’s little doubt that parents have a huge role in the education and development of their own children. While traditional structures for public schools, including school boards, advisory committees, and parent-teacher organizations, have voiced parents’ concerns, we must recognize that these long-established institutions may not meet the needs of all parents. I encourage school leaders to consider the many ways we can engage with parents to ensure that schools truly reflect the expertise and diverse thinking within our communities. I am often reminded that it’s a tremendous challenge for leaders within any structure to make everyone happy. Being a diligent listener and giving others an opportunity to be heard while considering all perspectives is paramount when we need to work together.

No matter who you voted for in our November election (and I do hope you voted!), I hope you make your voice heard on matters dealing with public education. Because while pendulums are liable to swing back and forth from time to time, our choices about how to move forward should always focus on the needs of students.

We here at PDK International will remain focused on what we can do to cultivate the next generation of educators. The numbers are clear: Schools are finding it increasingly difficult to attract an adequate number of highly qualified educators. Some schools are hiring underqualified adults. While I cannot understate the importance of a supportive, positive relationship with a caring adult in a child’s life, expertise in the art and science of teaching is something we should not skimp on if we want the best of our next generation.

While I believe our parents have considerable knowledge about their own children and are well-equipped to support them, I’d encourage any policy maker to consider also getting to know students in their community. The theme of this issue is Understanding Today’s Students. If you take the time to ask, you’ll find that students are often eager to advocate for their needs. We all really need to listen.

This article appears in the Spring 2025 issue of Kappan, Vol. 106, No. 5-6, pp. 68.