Practia is needed to change the trajectory of school improvement in the United States. Most scholars and researchers agree that American schools have not made substantial advancements in educating students. There are scores of articles, both in research journals and mainstream publications highlighting this stagnation.

Especially since the 1950s and the end of legalized racial segregation, American schools have attempted to equitably educate all students. And, to be clear, there have been great successes in this period. There are examples of schools doing incredible work and students gaining both access and opportunity. However, holistically, the system has not made significant progress. This is borne out in data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often referred to as “the Nation’s Report Card”. The 74 has a report on how COVID “wiped out” gains on the NAEP exam. While it was true there was some growth prior to COVID, the chart below (from The 74 story) shows that the growth was very modest over the past 50 years. In addition to growth being stagnant, there has been very little improvement on the nation’s significant racial achievement gaps over the past decades. This report from the U.S Treasury Department, demonstrates these persistent, ongoing racial achievement gaps. (Graphics from this report are also included at the bottom of the page.) The American education system has failed to make a dent in these gaps in the 70 plus years since the Brown v. Board decision. It is important to understand that this stagnation and these achievement gaps are not intentional; most educational leaders want equitable and just outcomes for all students. However, it is equally critical and important to understand that, if we do not make some fundamental changes to the system, these trends of stagnation and achievement gaps will continue long into the future. Regardless of the intent, the impact on students is what matters. Practia offers a solution to the stagnation and achievement gaps prevalent in the American education system.

Practia is needed as a disruption, a new approach to an age-old challenge. While the concept of Practia as a complete School Improvement system is new and innovative, the underlying principles are research proven and have demonstrated success in other fields. Practia is needed as a new strategy for addressing the fundamental inequities in the American educational system.