Imagine if public education was one of the most trusted institutions in America. We do. Every day.

70% of parents are satisfied–most of them, deeply satisfied—with their child's school and teachers

But only 27% of Americans share that view. That is a problem begging for a solution.

Parents are in the perfect position to judge the work of a school, and their judgments are overwhelmingly positive. But those positive judgments don't travel very well. If they did, far more than 27% of Americans would see public schooling favorably.

Operationalizing trust requires a set of processes and tools that aren't commonly found in education. The good news is that they are found in nearly every trusted profession. Learning to apply them to schools is surprisingly easy as a result.

8 Ways to Trust allows educators and educational advocates the insights needed to finally move the needle in how Americans feel about public schools.

At bravEd, we believe trust is the lifeblood of any thriving institution—and public education is no exception.

That’s why we created 8 Weeks to Trust: a national effort to lay the groundwork for a new, trust-centered narrative about our schools.

1. What We Know About Trust:

1. It takes time to build

2. It can be lost in an instant, and,

3. It requires vigilance to maintain

But building lasting trust requires more than just effort—it requires a foundation.

2. So What’s Missing in our Schools?

Ask a room full of people what the foundation of trust is, and you’ll hear familiar answers: follow-through, responsibility, clear communication.

These are essential—but not enough.

Even when schools do all of those things, trust doesn’t automatically follow. Because something foundational is missing.

3. A Common Shared Vocabulary

To be trusted, schools must be understood, and that means speaking a language that the public recognizes, exactly the thing missing in public education.

In every trusted profession, a shared vocabulary exists that allows trust to happen:

Patients can describe care in non-medical terms
Clients can express goals without technical training
Stakeholders can name what matters—and professionals can respond in kind

But in education, this kind of shared language has never fully emerged. The reasons for that are both complex and interesting, but at the end of the day they don't matter. What does matter is that we fill in the missing piece.

4. The Urgency

Without the foundation of a Common Shared Vocabulary, broad institutional trust remains out of reach.

And without that trust, public misunderstanding and harmful policies are all but guaranteed to be the norm going forward.

That is not acceptable.

We now have the tools to fix it, and so we must.

5. Our Goal

8 Weeks to Trust is about creating the dialogue needed to surface the benefits communities expect from their schools—and turning those insights into a shared vocabulary that allows schools to be seen clearly and trusted fully.

Because when people understand the value of public education, they’re far more likely to believe in it.

And when they believe in it, they fight for it.

We’re here to build the foundation that makes that possible.

Two Ways to Get Involved in 8 Weeks to Trust

Option 1: Lead a Local Group

Step up as a local organizer—even if you’ve never done it before.

Register as a lead, gather a small group (friends, colleagues, neighbors), and we’ll send you registration instructions to share with the group.

Once your group signs up, we’ll support you every step of the way—including simple tools and guidance to help you facilitate the weekly conversations.

Perfect for educational leaders, community organizers, or anyone ready to spark change.

Option 2: Join as a Participant

Want to be part of the conversation but don’t have a group to bring?

No problem.

Register as an individual, and we’ll place you in a virtual discussion group with others from across the country. You’ll still get the full experience—and a national perspective along the way.

Ideal for educators, parents, students, faith leaders, or anyone who cares about the future of public education.

Get Involved

1. Register: 8 Ways to Trust is designed as a handbook that that can be used by an individual educator or advocate, or as the text for a facilitated effort.

2. Invite Others: Every full registration comes with a gift registration to share with a friend. Trust only grows when lots of us get involved. This is a way to do that.

3. Form a Pod. That's what we call the grassroots groups that meet across 8 weeks and use the 8 Ways Handbook as their text. It's optional, of course, but strongly encouraged.

4. Share Your Experience. Every section of the Handbook has ideas for reflection and social media. The sooner this work goes viral, the better.

Come help rebuild public trust in education—one powerful conversation at a time

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