Every fall, a new school year begins with another new program. Leaders roll out training. Teachers take notes. And students wait for consistency, clarity, and results.

In too many school districts, especially those serving historically marginalized communities, we have made a habit of treating every school year like a fresh start. But new doesn’t always mean better. The constant pivoting from one initiative to the next is wearing out our educators and distracting us from what matters most: student learning.

We don’t need more programs; we need more purpose.

I’ve seen this firsthand. In my 25 years as an educator and leader, I’ve learned this truth the hard way. As Chief Schools Officer at Purpose Built Schools Atlanta (PBSA), I’ve seen what happens when a system focuses not on piling on initiatives, but on anchoring in shared purpose. And more importantly, I’ve seen the results when schools move from confusion to clarity.

The Problem With “Program Stacking”

Every program sounds promising in isolation. A new curriculum. A coaching framework. A technology tool. A behavior system. But when we implement them without a clear throughline, we dilute their power. Instead of deep, lasting instructional change, we get pockets of compliance and islands of excellence—rarely scaled and rarely sustained.

The impact on teachers is real. Program fatigue leads to burnout. It fosters cynicism. It sends the message that nothing sticks, and that maybe nothing matters. And the impact on students? Missed opportunities to accelerate, connect, and reach their full potential.

Start With the Why

The antidote isn’t another rollout. It’s reflection and recalibration. We must start with a bold, shared answer to the question: What do our students deserve?

At PBSA, we call that answer our Portrait of a Graduate, which is a clear vision of the skills, mindsets, and experiences every student should have by the time they walk across the graduation stage. It’s not a document for the wall. It’s a living promise to our students.

To bring that promise to life, we’ve developed an Instructional Vision rooted in that portrait and aligned to our strategic plan. This vision wasn’t created behind closed doors. It was shaped by teachers, school leaders, and instructional coaches. Because when those closest to the work co-create the path forward, they are more likely to walk it with conviction.

From Vision to Practice

With that purpose in place, every decision has a litmus test: Does this move us closer to what our students deserve?

We’re aligning professional learning communities across our schools to this vision. We’re refining our instructional coaching model, ensuring it’s responsive and reflective of our goals. And we’re cutting what no longer serves students, even if it’s popular.

It’s not easy work. In fact, creating coherence is one of the hardest and most important jobs of system leadership. But the early signs are clear: our schools are no longer on Georgia’s Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) list. Our graduation rates and senior scholarship dollars are up. And more importantly, our teams are more focused, more hopeful, and more aligned than ever.

What Other Districts/Organizations Can Do

This work isn’t unique to Atlanta. Any district/organization can begin by taking these steps:

• Clarify your vision. Define what students should know, do, and become.
• Engage your people. Co-create the path forward with those closest to the classroom.
• Streamline your focus. Do fewer things, deeply and well.
• Measure what matters. Align data collection to your vision—not to vanity metrics.

Let go of what’s “trendy” and instead stay committed to what’s transformative. Programs may come and go, but purpose? Purpose is what endures.

The Bottom Line

Our children are not data points. They are dreamers, doers, and future leaders. They deserve more than a revolving door of initiatives. They deserve a school system built on clarity, consistency, and conviction.

The work ahead is not to add another thing—but to center everything around the one thing that matters: what our students truly deserve.

Let’s build from that place. Let’s lead with purpose.