The challenges facing American education can seem daunting, from the lingering effects of pandemic losses, intensifying climate-related impacts, homelessness and food insecurity, to exponentially rising costs, school funding disparities, censorship, and the unprecedented attacks on equity. And yet, this moment also holds the promise of a new future, and reason for hope. That is because so many educators have come to understand that schools are a true battleground of our democracy, and a test of who we will become as a nation and as a society.

Acts of Imagination brings together some of the top thinkers in education to reflect on what re-imagined education and learning systems could look like in tomorrow’s America. Each chapter tackles one facet of the problem—including curriculum, assessment, AI, the role of community and family engagement, climate change, justice and restorative practices, immigration, and more—informed by deep knowledge and the latest research, showing how a different way of schooling is not only essential but also possible. These vital perspectives, from today’s most respected teachers, scholars, and educational leaders, cover the full sweep of the educational experience, from K-12 through higher ed.

A landmark book with an all-star cast, Acts of Imagination will be a touchstone for the next phase in the long fight to remake the nation’s schools—and to refresh our democracy.