Building a Better Future: The Changes Our Classrooms Need by Lacy

Building a Better Future: The Changes Our Classrooms Need by Lacy - September 2025 Scholarship Essay

As a future educator and mother of three, one of whom is autistic, I have a personal and professional investment in the future of education. Over the next ten years, I hope to see an educational system that is more inclusive, more equitable, and more focused on the whole child. Children are not one-size-fits-all learners, and it's time our schools fully reflect that truth.
One of the most important changes I hope to see is greater support for students with special needs. Too often, children with learning differences are misunderstood, overlooked, or underserved due to a lack of resources or training. I know this from experience. Navigating the education system as a parent of an autistic child has been exhausting, frustrating, and at times heartbreaking. While I’ve met wonderful teachers who try their best, many simply aren't equipped with the tools or time they need to support neurodivergent students effectively.
In the next decade, I want to see mandatory, in-depth training in special education for all teachers, not just special education staff. Every educator should know how to accommodate diverse learning needs, create sensory-friendly environments, and communicate with parents who are already overwhelmed and trying their best. I also want to see smaller class sizes and more paraprofessional support in inclusive classrooms so that teachers can meet individual needs without burning out.
Another change I hope to see is increased mental health support in schools. Kids today are growing up in a fast-paced, high-pressure world. They’re facing academic stress, social anxiety, and in many cases, trauma at home. Teachers are often the first line of defense when something seems off with a student, but they’re not mental health professionals, and they shouldn’t be expected to carry that weight alone. I would love to see more school counselors, therapists, and social workers integrated into the education system, especially in low-income areas where students may not have access to those resources outside of school.
Additionally, I believe equity must be at the center of all educational reform. A child’s ZIP code should not determine the quality of their education. Unfortunately, it still does. Schools in underfunded districts often lack updated materials, technology, extracurricular activities, and even basic necessities like functioning heating or meals. Over the next ten years, I want to see major investment in public education, especially in communities that have been historically marginalized. We need to close the funding gap, diversify the teaching workforce, and implement policies that ensure every child has access to a high-quality, well-rounded education regardless of where they live.
Along with these structural changes, I hope we will also shift the way we define success in education. Right now, too much emphasis is placed on standardized test scores and rigid curriculum pacing. While assessments have their place, they should not be the only measure of a student’s potential or a teacher’s effectiveness. I hope we move toward a model that values creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and social-emotional growth as much as academic achievement. Children should be learning how to think, not just how to memorize. I’d like to see more project-based learning, real-world problem solving, and space for students to explore their interests and strengths.
Finally, I hope to see a stronger emphasis on parent and community engagement in the educational process. Parents are a child’s first teachers, and they know their children best. Schools should be places where families feel welcome, involved, and heard—not judged or dismissed. As someone who has sat on the other side of the IEP table, I know how isolating it can be to feel like your voice doesn't matter. Over the next decade, I’d love to see schools implement more family workshops, open communication channels, and flexible ways for parents to participate, even if they work full-time or face language or cultural barriers.
In ten years, I hope to be a teacher who is not only educating but advocating, for my students, their families, and the future of public education. The changes I hope to see aren’t small or easy, but they are possible. And they are necessary.
Education should be a place where every child feels safe, valued, and capable of success. It should be a profession where teachers are supported, respected, and empowered to do what they love. If we invest in people, our students, our teachers, our families, we will create a system that works for everyone.
That’s the future I want to be part of. That’s the reason I’m here, pursuing my degree and preparing to step into the classroom, not just to teach, but to be a part of the change.