We all want the best for our children, for them to reach their fullest potential and contribute in a meaningful way to society.  Unfortunately for American students, our classrooms are failing our students. We’ll explore why reform movements with the ‘one size fits all’ approach do not work and what we can collectively do to address equity in education; what is it and why does it matter?

In a thoughtful discussion we’ll focus on what can be done to fix the U.S. K-12 public education system, whether it be improving infrastructure, introducing new ways of teaching and learning and what are the challenges to introduce these improvements at scale.

Every year more than 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States, drastically limiting their future prospects.  Millions more graduate from high school having not yet learned skills essential to success in career and life.  In this interview, you’ll hear from Barbara Dalio about how the Dalio Foundation is partnering with public schools, non-profit organizations, and communities to improve the educational outcomes and life opportunities of the state’s young people.

How can we support students struggling to complete high school so that they stay on track to earn a degree?  How can we make that degree more meaningful through a holistic educational approach that teaches the broad array of skills and competencies that students will need to compete for the jobs of the future?  How can schools and communities work together to promote students’ physical and mental wellness to help make learning possible?  Mrs. Dalio will discuss her philanthropic philosophy, what she’s learned by collaborating with educators, students, and youth development professionals, to strengthen public education and achieve greater equity so that all children have an equal chance to compete for jobs and live more fulling lives.

For centuries, reading, writing and arithmetic have been the basic requirements for children to function in society, but as jobs become increasingly automated and new skills are required to compete for careers, literacy in the 21^st century means something different to this generation. What role does technology play in transforming public education? How does the digital economy drive change in our public schools—what are the best practices in the classroom and at the district office level to drive better outcomes, especially for low-income students.