PK-12 schools have a lesson for everyone in 2024
If you’re looking for some inspiration in 2024, look at your local schools.
Like every other industry, PK-12 education is facing a labor shortage, budget cuts and supply chain issues. The politics (and the issues that become politicized) are head-spinning. Add active shooter drills, social media, learning disruption, food insecurity and a mental health crisis. The list could go on.
Despite everything on their shoulders, teachers and administrators show up every day and do community-changing and life-altering work. They protect kids and young people from very hard things while preparing them to adapt and thrive outside the classroom.
Turnover and retention may make headlines, but it’s important to remember educators didn’t enter the profession expecting hybrid learning or active shooter drills. Society asked classroom leaders to take on many things, above and beyond “reading, writing and arithmetic.” And they’ve responded with empathy and creativity; they’ve found ways to make plexiglass walls and metal detectors feel secure instead of scary.
PK-12 schools have continued to step up to serve the “whole child” and entire communities. They have partnered with community organizations to add wraparound services for families and caregivers, in addition to kids. They have stayed solution focused and positive amid really challenging circumstances.
These challenges will persist — but educators will, too. Heading into 2024, PK-12 education serves as an inspiration for every business and industry.
Lessons learned from PK-12 education
These are things PK-12 is getting right — and where educators and administrators could use more support.
1. Innovation
PK-12 schools were quick to pivot to digital technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they haven’t let up. Districts are constantly adding tools and digital strategies to connect families, students and community partners in meaningful ways. Schools are using social media strategies to meet kids and families where they are and to engage their communities on funding needs and support for district objectives.
Now schools need help getting insight from all the technology and tools they’ve adopted.
Most schools don’t have the time and energy to leverage all the data that’s available to them. Hidden in the data are ways to personalize education and build evidence for teaching strategies and curricula that work.
PK-12 educators need help bringing all the data together, making sense of it and using it to advocate for their needs and those of students and their families. As data and platforms grow, cybersecurity becomes a deeper threat, too, and a serious distraction from teaching work.
2. Wellness and resilience
Since the pandemic, schools have had to address more health and wellness needs in the classroom than ever before. Kids can’t do their jobs — learn and grow — if they’re hungry and distressed. Schools have answered the demand with creativity and compassion.
They entered community partnerships to serve critical needs. Physical spaces were revamped to create calming places for overstimulated kids. And social and emotional learning (SEL) skills have been emphasized in curricula to help students express and develop empathy.
Teachers and staff need their cups to be filled as well. Salaries, contract negotiations and staffing levels are important levers for retention. But so is change resiliency. And so is diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
To overcome fatigue, schools must help people stay connected to their “whys” — the parts of the profession they’re passionate about. Give them time to reflect on the work and to connect with colleagues.
In the coming year, schools need intentional people strategies to help school staff build up their resilience reservoirs.
3. Responsiveness
Many of PK-12’s strengths come down to “responsiveness.” Schools have been agile and adaptable to community needs. They artfully applied Band-Aids to gaping wounds.
Without losing agility, PK-12 schools need to shift toward preparedness. This goes beyond filing the academic calendar or budget projections. Districts and schools need to be able to answer the “what-ifs.” The strategic planning process should be deliberate and thoughtful about a number of likely future scenarios, not just the issues that are sitting in front of the board right now. (What if there’s another pandemic? What if a major employer leaves town?)
Leaders need frameworks to strategically optimize their resources, financial planning, technology and partnerships to meet student and staffing needs well into the future.
How Wipfli can help
Wipfli is here to help PK-12 educators meet their biggest challenges. We have roots in tax and accounting, plus advisory skills in education, organizational leadership, strategic planning, HR and technology. We can help PK-12 schools optimize their operations and link business practices to their higher purpose. Learn more about our education services or contact us today.
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