Chapter 1: Transforming Education through Learnercentered Ecosystems: Empowering All Children for a Thriving Future

Imagine a future where children and families are supported in caring communities to navigate vibrant ecosystems of learning experiences. In this public education system, the community and world serve as the playground for learning, promoting equity as well as the worth and dignity of every child is fostered. Silos between youth development, employment, K–12, higher education, and the community are broken down in the service of creating cohesive, enlivening, and community-embedded experiences for children. In this future, the purpose of education is to support young people—regardless of who they are, or where they are from—to discover and explore their identity, their unique gifts, and how to contribute those gifts meaningfully to the world.