Stacie McClam urges schools to rethink education for the future

Former educator and filmmaker Stacie McClam is using the summer planning season to push schools and communities to ask whether education is preparing students for a rapidly changing world. Her upcoming film, MR. ADVOCATE, extends that conversation into issues like AI, equity, burnout and the future of learning.

Why it matters: - Schools are entering planning season for the next academic year while AI, equity gaps and educator burnout continue to reshape the debate over what students need. - McClam’s message is that the conversation should go beyond technology and testing to focus on creativity, resilience, judgment and adaptability. - The questions she is raising affect curriculum, professional development, student support and how schools define readiness for the future.

What happened: - Former educator and filmmaker Stacie McClam is encouraging schools and communities to use the summer months to reflect on how education can better prepare students for a changing world. - McClam taught in schools in Washington, D.C., and Kuwait before moving from the classroom into filmmaking. - Her upcoming feature film, MR. ADVOCATE, is scheduled to screen later this summer. - The film is part of McClam’s broader effort to use storytelling to spark public discussion about education.

The details: - McClam says her classroom experience showed the strain educators face as they balance curriculum demands, standardized testing, evolving technology, student needs and limited resources. - McClam said summer gives educators a chance to step back from lesson plans and testing schedules and ask whether schools are building the skills students will need. - McClam argues that artificial intelligence should be a starting point for a wider discussion about educational purpose, innovation and equity. - She says students will need more than technical skills, including curiosity, resilience, sound judgment and problem-solving abilities that technology cannot replace. - MR. ADVOCATE follows a teacher dealing with school politics, personal grief, student advocacy and AI in the classroom. - The film examines educational equity, institutional responsibility, educator wellness and the purpose of learning in a rapidly changing society. - The story also addresses burnout, grief and men’s mental health. - McClam said she hopes audiences leave the film with better questions rather than simple answers. - The project includes plans for community screenings, educational discussions and partnerships with schools, universities and organizations.

Between the lines: - McClam is framing AI as only one piece of a larger shift in education, not the main story. - Her focus on emotional strain and men’s mental health suggests the debate over school reform is expanding beyond student outcomes to educator wellbeing. - The film’s social-impact approach positions storytelling as a tool for convening schools, families and institutions around hard questions that policy often leaves unresolved.

What's next: - MR. ADVOCATE is expected to screen later this summer. - McClam wants the summer planning period to open space for conversations about educational innovation and equitable learning opportunities. - The film’s community screenings and partnerships are intended to keep the discussion going with schools, universities and other organizations. - McClam’s next step is to continue building The System Trilogy, starting with MR. ADVOCATE as the first installment.