Do free-market forces influence our schools in positive ways? Does introducing the concept of choice create an environment that improves schools for every child? Every day parents, teachers, and education advocates grapple with these fundamental questions. Like many of our country’s institutions and infrastructure, our school system is failing. Measured outcomes continue to disappoint, and those with the fewest resources to start with continue to have limited opportunity. Like the American healthcare system, which is the most expensive in the world while producing mediocre results, American schools are not providing the education and support to which every child in this country is entitled.

In this episode of the Highland Bunker podcast, Rob hosts Atnre Allenye. Atnre has founded both DelawareCAN and TeenSHARP to support students in Delaware from mainly lower-income, working-class neighborhoods, kids of color, and our immigrant neighbors. He has a unique background, including attending secondary school in Ghana. Atnre’s advanced education focused on public policy, and he has data analysis experience.

This episode features a lengthy discussion on the unacceptable inequities in our education system, the foundational arguments for and against charter schools, and how to truly measure systemic outcomes.

There is also an exchange about the dark arts of local politics and holding people accountable for their words and behavior. This was a very productive conversation, and we hope to have Atnre back soon.

(photo source: Success Academy, photographer: Rafael Infante, Creative Commons license)