The widespread disruptions to our country’s entire education system are a momentary step into the shoes of students who have lived fragile lives for a long time. The difference is that many of us will eventually be able to step out of those shoes and into a world that will plan for and accommodate this big disruption.

Why do Sanders and some of his primary rivals think it’s good for government to fund community-based, nonprofit organizations to educate 2-year-olds but suddenly an enormous problem when children turn 5 and start kindergarten?

Too often, education leaders think of schools and programs serving students who have gaps in their education, who are early parents, who are incarcerated or recently have been, who need to work while they finish school, or who don’t fit in our mostly cookie-cutter schools as a distraction or a drag on performance. This excludes millions of kids from the education reform conversation. 

Bellwether partner Andrew J. Rotherham interviewed polling expert and former white house Aide Greg Schneiders on the state of education in America./p>