Kindergartners should be treated like the four and five-year-old students that they are and not pushed to be first graders. The activities and instruction for this age group are well established.

Real educators should take charge and ensure that there’s much free play and age appropriate activities.

2. School Systems NOT “Portfolio of Schools”

For years, corporate reformers have unfairly claimed that school systems fail. They want privatization through a portfolio of schools involving charters, private schools and choice. This will end public education.

We need efficient school systems for traditional public schools only, that serve all children.

Taxpayers don’t need to fund unproven portfolio schools they don’t own or control.

3. School Boards NOT Privatization Partners

School boards are critical to keeping public schools public. Elected officials must listen to the voices of those in the community that elect them. The school board is democracy at its finest.

However, school board members have signed on to unproven initiatives by the Gates, Broad, and Walton foundations and others. Newer groups like School Board Partners encourage school boards to carry out a privatization agenda. Outside groups include Stand for Children and The City Fund.

Ask those running for school board about their goals for schools before they are elected. Demand transparency.

4. Teachers NOT Teach for America

Teachers choose teaching as a career. Teach for America is a substandard turnaround teaching pool. Sending young college graduates into the classroom as real teachers makes no sense.

Here are the businesses and individuals that donate to this group. What if they donated to real teachers and smaller classrooms, or other school needs?

Renew the focus on teachers, their credentials, their preparation, and their support. Elevate their professional status to the importance teachers richly deserve.

5. Principals NOT New Leaders

Next to teachers, principals fulfill the critical job of running the school. Their jobs should be to support and evaluate good teaching fairly and compassionately. No one should become a principal unless they have classroom experience and adequate university preparation.

New Leaders was created to weaken the principalship. Individuals from outside education with no classroom experience are placed in school leadership positions. Like Teach for America, New Leaders weakens the structure of public education. They follow the privatization directives of philanthropists who seek school privatization.

Hire principals with long-term experience working with students. Ensure that they have the support and know-how to lead their schools in what matters.

6. Superintendents NOT CEO’s

Many state superintendents have little educational experience, or they have been through Teach for America. Often they are seen as CEOs overseeing a business. But schools are not businesses. Children are not products. Most of these superintendents have little to no experience with the children they are supposed to serve.

Many come from The Broad Academy where they learn how to collect data and transform schools to choice and charters. They are about school privatization.