Greg Wyman tries to take us into the new year with a positive note. He opens by observing that some cultures have some very positive new years traditions.
With that perspective, I believe 2026 should be declared the Year of Traditional K–12 Public Education. If I am going to name this year as such, it is critical that I approach it with a sense of optimism and purpose. This sense of hope is because I believe this country may be on the edge of meaningful change, not just for K-12 public education, but for many of the institutions that shape our democracy.
This sense of hope is reinforced by a recent observation from Ezra Klein, who wrote in The New York Times that political backlash often signals the beginning of a shift. As he noted:
“Political backlash always seeks the opposing force to the present regime. Closed and cruel are on their way out. What comes next, I suspect, will present itself as open, friendly, and assertively moral.”
Political tides, like ocean tides, move in and out. The same is true of the ongoing tension between wealth concentrated in the hands of a few and the enduring push for systems that lift up everyone. The tide may appear high right now, but history tells us it will recede.
America’s history is marked by periods of extreme inequality, often described as gilded ages, which are followed by moments when society recognizes the need to re-center the common good. We have seen this pattern repeatedly, from the excesses of the late 19th century to the reforms of the Progressive Era, from the economic collapse that led to the New Deal to the policy shifts of the post-war years. Today, we once again find ourselves at a crossroads. If this is truly the beginning of another turn in the cycle, then advocates of traditional K–12 public education must be ready to help guide that change.
One way to help bring about this shift is to revisit the second New Year’s tradition: resolutions. With that in mind, I offer a few resolutions for educators, advocates, and supporters of traditional K–12 public education as we enter this new year. These are not meant to be exhaustive, and I encourage readers to add their own in the comment section.
Resolution #1: Stand up and fight for traditional K-12 public education.
If this is truly the Year of Traditional K–12 Public Education, then it must be a year in which advocates actively defend all students, especially those who are marginalized. This means standing up for equity, access, and the principle that K-12 public education exists for the common good. It also means being proactive rather than reactive. The vocal minority that has driven much of the rhetoric around education policy is losing momentum. It is time for the silent majority to speak up. After all, 80 to 90 percent of students in this country attend traditional K-12 public schools.
For the rest of his resolutions, read the full post here.