Starting a Conversation About Education

During this critical time in our economy, Rapid City’s schools face threats and opportunities that will shape the future of our community. Now more than ever we need a constructive dialogue focused on the future of education in our community. What do we expect from our schools? What kinds of skills do we think our students should have when they graduate and enter the workforce or go on to further training or education? How do we hold the school system’s leaders accountable for what our children are or are not learning?

For too long, our community has lacked real leadership when it comes to education. We have been missing an honest dialogue that focuses on the quality of instruction and student achievement. Fingerpointing and inuendo have crowded out dialogue, facts and analysis. The public has been too disengaged from the process.

Heading into this year’s school board elections in June, this web site has been created to provide an open community forum for information and conversation regarding public schools in Rapid City. All viewpoints are welcome. Commenters are welcome to be critical, but also encouraged to be constructive.  The community needs hard information and good ideas.