We’ve all seen the news reports that unfavorably compare American children’s test scores to their counterparts in other countries. We’ve heard the rants about rapidly changing curriculum standards. And we’ve seen the articles about how, far too often, low-income districts subject their students to ineffective teachers in dilapidated buildings.
But we don’t believe that’s the whole story with education.
Bright hopes to change the tenor of the conversation. In response to the incessant anger and dismay about how our children are learning, we will bring a rigorous solutions-oriented outlook to the most contentious topics in education today.
Our stories will be vibrant — both literally and figuratively. They will be deeply human and approachable, while being smart enough to sustain the interest of education insiders. Over the coming months, we’ll publish a range of investigative features, photo essays, personal stories, comics, nuanced “debates” between experts, and more. We love creative storytelling. And we hate jargon.
Above all, we will challenge our contributors to uncover what’s working in education — and what others can learn from it. Who are the unlikely education entrepreneurs, and what makes them successful? Where is technology-assisted personalized learning working well, and is it replicable? What are the most noteworthy efforts at closing the achievement gap?
From its inception, Medium has been a place for everyone’s stories and ideas. To that end, people working across the education space — policymakers, tech entrepreneurs, researchers, and most importantly, K-12 educators themselves — will have the chance to join the conversation. (On that note, educators, please watch this space for opportunities to contribute your invaluable voices!)
Finally, a word about journalistic ethics. Bright is made possible by funding from the New Venture Fund, and is supported by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Please know that both the Fund and the Foundation’s involvement with this publication stops there. They are interested in cultivating a dynamic space to explore innovation in education. They do not have any sway whatsoever in our editorial decisions.
We hope you join us in creating the forward-looking, nuanced conversations that our education system deserves.