We have reached a critical point for education in the United States.

Heres what our students, teachers, and communities are facing:

of students are bored every day in class during high school. Why?

66%
think the material is uninteresting think the material is irrelevant report having no interaction with the teacher

Teachers
Nearly 1/3 of public school teachers leave the profession within their first 3 years and nearly 1/2 after 5 years. Why? Many report dissatisfaction with their job and the underlying organization of schools.
Source: Ingersoll. R. (2002). The teacher shortage: A case of wrong diagnosis and wrong prescription. NASSP Bulletin. 86, 16-31. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/detail?accno=EJ647074

Communities
A failing system costs us all. Every student that drops out costs the nation approximately $260,000 over his or her lifetime. More than 12 million students are expected to drop out over the next decade, costing the nation $3 trillion.
Source: Alliance for Excellent Education. (2007).

Nearly 1 in 3 students do not graduate high school.

Source: EPE Research Center. (2006). Diplomas count. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2006/06/22/index.html

81% 42% 35%

Mainstream American education is increasingly driven by standardization instead of learning that inspires curiosity and autonomy. Even those who do graduate are not prepared with the skills they need to thrive in a world that is changing quickly. Employers report:

Source: Center for Evaluation and Education Policy. (2010). Charting the path from engagement to achievement: A report on the 2009 high school survey of student engagement. Indiana University. Retrieved from ceep.indiana.edu/hssse /images/HSSSE_2010_Report.pdf

73% of graduates lack leadership abilities 70% of graduates lack problem solving skills 97% of employers agree that creativity is of increasing importance in the workplace
Sources: The Conference Board, Inc., et al. (2006). Are They Really Ready To Work? Retrieved from http://www.conferenceboard.org/publications/publicationdetail.cfm?publicationid=1218; James Lichtenberg, et al. (2008). Ready to Innovate. New York: The Conference Board. Retrieved from http://www.conference-board.org/publications/publicationdetail.cfm?publicationid=1557

But there is HOPE! There are 56 million K-12 students, over 3.7 million teachers, and countless communities across the United States and IDEA wants to connect them with what is working in education.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2011). Statistical Abstract of the U.S. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/compendia /statab/2011/tables/11s0250.pdf

Key findings that drive IDEAs work:

Students
Environments that foster educational engagement, prosocial behavior, civic engagement, and a sense of purpose help youth thrive.
Source: The Search Institute. (2004). Successful Young Adult Development. Retrieved from http://www.searchinstitute.org/system/files/GatesFdnReport-EmergingAdulthood2004.pdf

Teachers
High quality professional development requires multiple layers of support for new teachers as well as ongoing support for experienced teachers, including opportunities to collaborate, plan, and reflect on practice and to observe each other teach.
Source: School Redesign Network at Stanford University and Justice Matters. (2007). High schools for equity: Policy supports for student learning in communities of color. Stanford, CA: School Redesign Network. http://www.srnleads.org/press/pdfs/hsfe_report.pdf

IDEA is committed to highlighting the bright spots on the education landscape and equipping people to learn from them. We collaborate with communities around the country to reclaim and reinvent education, in ways that develop compassionate citizens and changemakers. Learn more at

Communities
Data indicate that participation in organizing efforts is increasing civic engagement, as well as knowledge and investment in education issues, among adult and youth community members.
Source: Mediratta, K., Shah, S., & McAlister, S. (2008). Organized communities, stronger schools: A preview of research findings. Annenberg Institute for School Reform, Brown University, Providence, RI. http://annenberginstitute.org/cip/publications/2008/organized-communities-stronger-schools.pdf

www.democraticeducation.org