In a recent Washington Post op-ed, Perry Bacon Jr. argued that we don’t have an education crisis in America. If we’re judging by international test scores or long-term NAEP trends, maybe he’s right. But there is an underlying problem that we need to address: When we define success by yesterday’s metrics, we miss the deeper crisis already unfolding in plain sight. 

This isn’t only about failing test scores. It’s about failing relevance.

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The crisis in American education isn’t only that students are doing worse than they were decades ago. It’s that the world has changed, and our schools are struggling to keep pace. That is on us. We have amazing educators in the United States, especially in Utah. We fail them when we fail to lead and come together on education. 

In a time of AI disruption, global competition, and workforce transformation, we are still asking whether children can pass standardized tests when we should be asking whether they’re learning to lead, adapt, solve real-world problems, develop financial literacy, and build emotional intelligence. Are we preparing our children for the world they are inheriting? 

A 2023 Intuit survey found that 85% of high school students want to be taught about money, yet most still rely on their parents for financial knowledge. Meanwhile, student debt in the U.S. has reached a record high of nearly $1.78 trillion in 2025, with the average borrower owing close to $40,000. A 2024 study by Southeastern University found that students with the highest levels of debt also had some of the lowest levels of financial literacy — an alarming disconnect highlighting the urgent need for schools to equip students with the tools to navigate adult life.

The baseline has shifted. And the question isn’t whether we’re hitting it. It’s whether we’re even asking the right questions. 

In many ways, we continue to cling to a one-size-fits-all model shaped by the industrial era: bell schedules, rigid age cohorts, siloed subjects, and a singular path to success: college. But students have different strengths, aspirations, and learning needs. College remains an excellent option for many, but it should no longer be seen as the only legitimate one.

That’s why the real signs of hope in American education aren’t found in static metrics. They’re found in places where bold innovation is happening. Some schools and states are acting on the urgency that Bacon downplays.

Programs such as the Energy Institute High School in Houston and the CAPS Network across multiple states are embedding students directly into the world of work. They’re building curricula around real problems, hands-on experiences, and the durable human skills — leadership, empathy, emotional intelligence — that AI can’t replace.

Utah is leaning in. During the 2025 legislative session, we passed HB 447, supporting the establishment of Catalyst Campuses across the state. These profession-based learning centers connect students directly with local industry partners, offering hands-on training and exposure to high-demand fields. Our Utah First Credential Program, launched through HB 260, helps students graduate not only with a diploma but with a stackable credential — an apprenticeship, a technical certificate, or college credit — that connects them to opportunity from Day One.

These aren’t tweaks to an old system. They’re a new foundation.

Meanwhile, our Utah Fits All scholarship program gives families greater control over their child’s learning journey, whether that’s through public school, private options, homeschooling, or a hybrid approach. It’s about developing additional tools to align our educational efforts with the needs of every child.

None of this suggests abandoning public education. Quite the opposite. It means renewing it, rebuilding it for the world we actually live in. A world where the World Economic Forum predicts that 44% of workers’ core skills will be disrupted in just a few years. Where employers increasingly rank leadership, conflict resolution, and adaptability above technical know-how. Where AI can summarize documents or write code, but it can’t build trust, navigate ambiguity, or lead with integrity.

We are not preparing students for that world if we celebrate meeting the average. And we certainly won’t get there if we define success by simply bouncing back to pre-pandemic norms.

The real crisis is a crisis of alignment between what we ask schools to prioritize and what the future demands. If we fail to act boldly now, the cost won’t be measured just in test scores, but in missed potential, economic stagnation, and civic disconnection.

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Utah is proving that a more adaptive, personalized, and relevant system is possible. But it requires clarity and courage, not complacency. We must stop treating emerging models of education — charters, credentialing programs, work-based learning, even homeschooling — as threats to the system. They are part of the solution. We need all options on the table, because our students’ needs are too diverse and the stakes are too high for anything less.

Bacon is right about one thing: the sky isn’t falling. But that’s no reason to stay grounded. If we want our children to rise to the challenges ahead, all of us, leaders,  educators, and parents alike, must rise with them. 

Jason E. Thompson represents the 3rd District in the Utah House of Representatives.