By Sara Olson
After 26 years in education—16 of them in administration—I have come to expect the annual presentation, “What It Means to Be Title I.” Each year, I click through the same slides: a reminder that families must be informed about state testing outcomes, that our teachers hold valid degrees and licenses, and that Title I schools serve students in poverty.
Each year, I stand before families as they quietly listen. They do not ask questions. I share the same slideshow in their home languages, but still, there is no response.
Sara Olson has spent 26 years in K–12 public education and remains steadfast in her mission to illuminate and disrupt systemic inequities. She believes all students deserve equitable, meaningful access to learning.
