There’s no doubt that education innovation is a pressing issue in our country today. As societal needs continue to evolve, educational reform should follow in order to meet those needs. One of the most impactful ways to respond to the evolution of needs is education innovation, and there is a way to do it.
Rethinking Regulation
Before even getting into the funding aspect of education innovation, it’s important to look at the source of the issue, which is argued that our current regulations are actually stifling innovation in education. Intellectual property laws, in particular, are not properly protecting those who could be beneficial to education innovation because the laws have not kept up with the speed and growth of technology. Without proper protection, the laws currently in place are discouraging the implementation of creative solutions to education innovation.
Impact Investing
If those who have the creative spirit to introduce new ideas for education innovation were properly protected by our laws and regulations, it would be much easier to move forward with the right funding. Fortunately, education innovation continues to be an appealing issue for investors and one of the best ways to encourage impact investing in education is to know your market by taking some time to visit schools. For those who have never been in the shoes of a teacher for a day, or have never volunteered at your local school, it’s possible that doing something like this can be a very eye-opening experience for the investor. Since impact investing happens with the intention of making a positive change in the world, it’s necessary for the investor to understand the problem in order to fund the proper solutions.
Seeking examples
Several states are making strides in education innovation, and looking to successful examples is necessary to see what ideas and best practices can be applied. New Hampshire, in particular, is leading in “innovative systems of assessments” to help support their initiatives in competency-based learning. New Hampshire has received funding from grants, foundations, and other state and federal resources. But rather than focusing on how to receive funding, it’s what New Hampshire is doing with the funding that’s more important.
New Hampshire has chosen to devote a good amount of their funding towards teacher development and training, which is one of the most important areas that funding can contribute to. With a shortage of teachers in multiple areas around the country, combined with high rates of teacher burnout, it’s possible that one of the solutions to this is proper training and professional development for both teachers and administrative staff to support our educators.
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