The conversation on education reform is extremely timely. Low-income communities that are inhabited by black and brown people have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Just the fact that in many privileged neighborhoods, students had a smooth transition to online learning with access to numerous computers and devices to stay connected from home while in underprivileged neighborhoods children didn’t have access to such luxuries is an example. Additionally, this past year, there was a rise of the use of social media to expose the perpetual racial divide that plagues our nation.  Meanwhile, we switched presidential leadership and President Biden came up with a new education plan recently that includes:  creating community hubs, funding mental health programs, eliminating funding gaps, awarding grants to schools that work towards diversification, innovating in schools, and overall investing in the future of our nation–the youth.  These all give way to the exigence and rhetorical situation of my issue brief, as they show that now is the time to institute education reform while people are paying attention and adjustments are already in the works.  Giving children opportunities to have hands-on experiences will address giving students from all types of neighborhoods access to similar kinds of education, promote interracial understanding, and will fit into an altered education plan that looks out for the wellbeing of students and future of our country.

The audience of this brief is policy makers, educators, and taxpayers with children. These are the people who would care the most about education reform. Policymakers are the ones who have control over making the changes. Taxpayers with children want to know what programs their money is going towards and also the type of education their children will be receiving.  Educators need to know the type of curriculum changes they will need to make as well as how to incorporate hands-on learning into the classroom.  All three groups will most likely include people who support the changes and see the benefits of forming a different impression in the minds of young adults and others will resist the change.