Credit: Illustration by Jason Stout / Thinkstock

Credit: Illustration by Jason Stout / Thinkstock

Public education was always intended to provide an education for every student. But in the last two decades, supposedly data-driven policies and initiatives like No Child Left Behind have worked as tools of reductionism, turning what should be a universal system into a one-size-fits-all straitjacket. The drill-and-kill testing regimen has failed kids who need something extra, or maybe something different – which in turn has failed the idea of education as a public good.

SXSWedu, which takes place next week, began as the education-centric spin-off to SXSW Interactive, but now focuses as much on policy as it does technology. This year, much of its programming will explore the idea of inclusivity – relating to gender, race, poverty, or disabilities – and how education for all should truly mean “for all.”

Sun.-Thu., March 5-9 at the Austin Convention Center and Downtown venues; see www.sxswedu.com.

Education for All

A version of this article appeared in print on Mar 3, 2017 with the headline: Education for All

This article appears in March 3 • 2017.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.