Dallas Is the Perfect City for a Prep School That Helps Low-income Kids Pay Their Own Tuition

Dallas is open for business. We take great pride in the classically Dallas way we approach the problems and opportunities we face as a city. Sure, we don't always get along and we don't always get it right, but there is an infectious spirit of optimism and innovation that is in our DNA. That is why corporations and the people who run them continue to flock to our fair city.There is one area where we can practice a little more of the business acumen, optimism and innovation for which Dallas is famous. The future leaders of our city, our businesses and our churches will need to be smarter and better informed than at any other time in our history. The diversity of our community demands a plethora of innovative educational models. A one-size-fits-all approach will not suffice if we value equal access to a quality education irrespective of the ZIP code in which a child was born.As a recovering politician (having served two terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives as the lead on the Education Finance Committee), I have the battle scars from years on the frontlines of education reform. I have formed (and re-formed) many opinions about teacher recruitment, accountability, school choice and a system of education that can discourage even the most inspired education professional. While I fully understand the need to continue to evolve on these issues, there is one fundamental truth that prevails. It takes a thousand points of light to fully form the unique individuals that are our children.  Continue reading...