What if we've been thinking about education all wrong?

As a mother, I've always believed that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and discover what they're capable of. But here's something I keep coming back to: Why are we still expecting every child to learn the same way, in the same classroom, following essentially the same model we've used for generations?

My guest this week is my dear friend Katie Gorka, and I absolutely loved this conversation because Katie has spent so much time getting out into schools, talking with teachers and parents, and seeing firsthand what's really happening in education across America.

Katie is the Executive Director of the America 250 Civics Education Coalition at the America First Policy Institute, a bestselling author, and someone who cares deeply about the future of our country and our children.

We talked about something that really surprised me. America spends roughly $1 trillion a year on K–12 education, yet so many of our children are struggling with basic reading and math. Where is all that money going? And why aren't we seeing better results?

Katie shared some incredible stories from her visits to schools across 14 states, including educators who are completely rethinking what a classroom can look like. We talked about microschools—which I have to tell you, I knew very little about before this conversation!—and how families are coming together to create learning environments that actually work for their children.

And we talked about school choice. I was fortunate to have choices when raising my own children, and I know what a difference that made for our family. But what about the single mother working two jobs? Or the family living in a rural community where the nearest alternative school might be an hour away? Those are real challenges, and I loved hearing Katie's thoughts on how we can begin addressing them.

One of the things that stayed with me most was our conversation about teachers. We have so many wonderful, dedicated teachers in this country who genuinely love their students. Yet we've created a system where they're buried in paperwork, struggling with classroom discipline, and too often unable to do what they entered the profession to do—teach!

Katie also shared the remarkable progress happening in Mississippi, where a renewed focus on reading fundamentals and accountability has helped students make tremendous gains. It's such an encouraging reminder that improvement really is possible.

And of course, we talked about something close to both our hearts: raising children who understand character, responsibility, kindness, and what it means to be a good citizen. Because education is about so much more than passing a test. We're helping shape the next generation of Americans.

I walked away from this conversation feeling hopeful. There are people all across this country doing extraordinary things for our children, and I think we need to spend more time celebrating them, learning from them, and giving families the freedom to find what works.

I hope you'll join Katie and me for this important conversation about our children, our schools, and the opportunities we can create when we're willing to think a little differently.

Thank you for watching!

OXO,

Stacey