David 
“I have spent over 50 years as a public school educator. I know now is the time for public school leaders to embrace and learn from competition, not fear it.
Here’s the crux of the problem for our K12 schools:
“If we are going to keep public schools, school administrators need to figure out a new delivery model. All-in-one schools are increasingly not what people want. If districts don’t adapt, private schools will continue to gain popularity, regardless of how good or bad they are.”
Learning from the Competition
In his classic “The Power of Vision” video (1991), futurist Joel Barker asserted that the genesis of paradigm shifts resulting in profound changes may often come from people with no previous credibility in the field.
Public schools urgently need a new generation of visionaries who are not bound by past practices but open to guidance from those outside traditional public education.
Learning What Private-School Parents Want
In December 2023, EdChoice asked private-school parents why they chose their schools. Their top two priorities were a safe environment (50 percent) and academic quality (47 percent).
A November 2024 OpinionatEd poll amplified these findings by revealing that voters, regardless of party or demographics, supported connecting K–12 education to future jobs and careers so that all graduates will be prepared to contribute to the community.
Academic quality, a safe environment, and real-world readiness are not outlandish expectations. Public school leaders would be wise to heed these findings and intentionally and aggressively seek interest convergence among public and private-school stakeholders centering on exactly how to integrate their desires into a shared vision for each particular school.
Empowering Stakeholders to Plan for and Implement Goals
There is no template. To mirror one of the distinctive features of private education, plans must be tailored specifically to the expectations of the parents in each school. This may mean expanding advanced coursework, niche programs such as STEM or language immersion, a stronger sense of care and belonging, curricular flexibility not found in public schools, more diverse extracurricular experiences, or expanded community connection and service.
To learn parents’ precise expectations concerning academic quality, a safe environment, and real-world readiness, public schools should hold forums in communities where parents are likely to take advantage of the tax credits. Then, based on what they’ve learned, leaders can begin the essential work of implementing the suggestions.
As new initiatives are rolled out, the next step is forming a guiding coalition of public and formerly private-school parents. They are charged with evaluating how programs could more impactfully address parental desires for better academic integrity, safety, and real-world preparedness, and the ways the school could improve nurturing and expanding the partnerships.”
