Bringing Education Back Home
Why Local Learning is Key to Regenerating Communities and Economies
When I was a kid, I had the unique experience of attending elementary schools in multiple states—primarily along the South Gulf Coast and in the Rocky Mountain regions. One thing that stood out to me, even at a young age, was how deeply connected local education was to the place where you lived.
In Southern Florida, we learned how to graft oranges. In Colorado, we learned about horses. In Wyoming, I learned about cattle. The curriculum reflected the land, the people, and the local economy. You got the sense that education wasn’t just about preparing you for college—it was about preparing you for life in that place.
But as I got older and continued moving with my family, I started to see that change. More and more, education became standardized. Local knowledge and skills—whether rooted in agriculture, trades, or local history—were quietly erased from the classroom. Instead, a one-size-fits-all curriculum began to dominate. The emphasis shifted toward college prep, standardized testing, and eventually, pushing students out of their communities and into broader, more generic economic pathways.
The results were tragic in many ways. People left. Small towns suffered. Local economies weakened. And generations of young people grew up without a clear connection to the land, history, and economy of the place they called home.
Why This Matters Now
Today, there's a growing conversation around the role of the federal government in education. Some in the current administration are advocating for dismantling the Department of Education and returning education funding and control to the states—and ideally, down to local communities. I think this is not only a good idea but a necessary step toward economic regeneration and community resilience.
Because here’s the thing: local education breeds local investment. When kids grow up learning about the ecosystems, trades, and industries that make their hometowns unique, they’re far more likely to stay, build, and contribute. It fosters pride, ownership, and belonging. It lays the foundation for a decentralized economy that thrives not in spite of its differences, but because of them.
A Regenerative Education Model
If we’re serious about regenerative agriculture, local food systems, and revitalizing rural economies, we must also get serious about regenerative education. That means:
Teaching local agricultural methods and environmental stewardship.
Integrating place-based history, economy, and culture into the curriculum.
Supporting youth programs that give hands-on experience in farming, building, and entrepreneurship.
Encouraging alternative pathways beyond university—like apprenticeships, homesteading, and cooperative businesses.
Local knowledge is not outdated—it’s essential. And when schools honor and teach that knowledge, they become engines of renewal, not just for individuals, but for entire communities.
Let’s Bring Education Back Home
The future of rural communities doesn’t rest in federal mandates or urban-bound career paths. It rests in the soil, the stories, and the skills that have always sustained us. Bringing education back home—literally and figuratively—isn’t just a nostalgic idea. It’s a regenerative one.
