Our Children Can't Wait: The Urgency of Reinventing Education Policy in America

Education policies must consider factors outside of school, such as air quality, housing, public health, community safety, segregation, and neighborhood conditions, to improve academic outcomes and student health. Our Children Can't Wait offers a new equity roadmap for addressing persistent gaps in education opportunity through interrelated social policies, including strategies for preventing homelessness and entering the criminal justice system.

Format: Hardback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 23 December 2022
Publisher: Teachers' College Press

Education policies have frequently overlooked the impact of conditions outside of school on the life chances of young people, particularly students of color, before they even step into the classroom. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the forefront the importance of considering the needs of the whole child, both inside and outside of school. The authors argue that addressing various factors such as air quality, housing, public health, community safety, segregation, and neighborhood conditions is crucial in improving academic outcomes and student health.

Our Children Can't Wait, a powerful book, urges readers to reevaluate the purpose and potential of education policy. It challenges the existing paradigms and calls for a more inclusive and equitable approach that serves the interests of all students. The book features contributions from experts from 17 organizations and universities, forming a robust national network of scholars. It goes beyond merely diagnosing or identifying challenges to present practical solutions in the form of tools and promising models. By making strategic investments, the book offers strategies to prevent more students from experiencing homelessness or entering the criminal justice system.

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the urgency and relevance of the issues addressed in the book. It has brought to light the disparities in education opportunities and the need for systemic change. Our Children Can't Wait provides a timely and valuable roadmap for addressing these challenges and creating a more just and equitable education system for all students.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780807767115