The Future of Public Education
One District's Journey to Transform Schools and Systems
- Barnett Berry - University of Kansas Center for Reimaging Education, Senior Consultant
- Michael Matsuda - Anaheim Union High School District, Superintendent
- Michael Fullan - Michael Fullan Enterprises Inc., Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Canada
Foreword by Kent McGuire
Administration & Leadership | Principalship | School Change, Reform, & Restructuring
The future of school isn’t just a dream–it’s already happening.
What if we could build schools and systems that prepare every student for college, career, and life, not just for a test? It turns out, we can. The future of public education is being built right now in the Anaheim Union High School District, and this book shows you how they did it.
This isn’t just another theory; it's a practical guide—filled with rich narrative and hard evidence— to transforming education from the inside out. Following Anaheim's journey, you'll see how a mid-sized, urban district moved beyond standardized testing to create a system that truly serves its students and community. It’s a story of courage, collaboration, and a deep commitment to helping every student thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Discover how to:
- Empower teachers – unyoked from teaching to a test designed in a bygone era—to lead deeper learning innovations from the classroom up.
- Connect academic learning to real world skills through meaningful community partnerships.
- Support the whole child by prioritizing student agency and well-being alongside academics.
- Achieve remarkable results, including higher graduation rates and college and career success.
- Build cross-sector partnerships to transform teaching and learning and reposition the public good in public education.
Berry, Matsuda, and Fullan remind us that the future of public education depends on cultivating students’ deepest capacities for meaning-making, purpose, and contribution. Drawing on the science of learning and development, including new science on the importance of adolescents’ opportunities for transcendent thinking, they show how schools can create the conditions for young people to thrive— intellectually, emotionally, and socially—by centering belonging, student voice, and real-world relevance. This inspiring account of Anaheim Union High School District’s
transformation is a beacon for educators everywhere who are committed to designing learning environments that unlock human potential and prepare students to shape our shared future.