What Are Schools For Now? Reimaging education for a changing world
Posted by Stanford Social Innovation Review on May 12, 2026
Public education in the United States was envisioned as a great equalizer: a way for every child, regardless of circumstance, to have a fair chance at a fulfilling life. In practice, however, that vision was never fully realized or universally extended. Horace Mann’s 19th-century advocacy for universal schooling, and later John Dewey’s link between education and democracy, carried ideals that were aspirational then and remain unfinished now.
In “A Democratic Vision for Public Schools,” Kent McGuire and Matt Wilka argue that recent decades of reform narrowed our understanding of what schools are for, tilting toward what can be measured and managed, and away from the civic and human purposes that make public education a public good. Their invitation, one I share, is to step back from today’s tactical debates and ask a more foundational question: What is the purpose of public education, now, in a diverse democracy under strain?
More in "New Resources"
- Webinar Recording: The Cost-of-Living Crisis: Data-Driven Insights into Housing, Energy, and Essential Spending
- Policy Briefing: How Affordable Housing Contributes to Local Economies and Tax Revenues
- New Data Tool To Track Links Between Incarceration, Economic Mobility
Stay Current in Philly's Higher Education and Nonprofit Sector
We compile a weekly email with local events, resources, national conferences, calls for proposals, grant, volunteer and job opportunities in the higher education and nonprofit sectors.
Subscribe