What do we want students to know, do once they've forgotten the curriculum we taught them?

As a lifelong educator, I've watched far too many debates about schools get stuck in the wrong place. School boards and legislators argue endlessly about curriculum: what to add, what to remove, and what to mandate. These debates often generate more heat than light, and classrooms become battlegrounds in political wars that leave students and teachers caught in the middle. Curriculum matters, of course. Knowledge is the foundation of learning. But curriculum should serve as the vehicle, not the destination. The real question we should be asking is this: What do we want students to know and be able to do once they've forgotten the curriculum we taught them? The answer isn't found in another list of facts or in one more set of standards. The answer is lifelong skills. We want students to be self-directed learners – young people who know how to take initiative, adapt to challenges and keep growing long after they leave our classrooms. We want them to be critical thinkers who can separate fact from opinion, analyze complex issues, and make informed decisions in a world flooded with conflicting information. We want effective communicators who can write, speak and share ideas digitally with clarity and conviction. We want collaborators who can work across differences to reach common goals, because nearly every workplace and community depends on teamwork. And we want responsible citizens – people who understand both their rights and their responsibilities in a democracy, and who are prepared to strengthen their communities through service, engagement and civic participation. These skills don't appear by accident. They must be intentionally taught, modeled and practiced across every subject. Take math, for example. Yes, students need to learn equations and formulas. But the greater lesson comes from wrestling with problems, trying different approaches and developing perseverance. A good math teacher isn't just teaching fractions or algebra – they are teaching resilience, logical reasoning and how to approach challenges step by step. A history class can focus on evaluating sources and understanding multiple perspectives, not just memorizing dates. A science project can be about curiosity, teamwork and inquiry, not just formulas. The content is important, but the greater value is in the skills students carry with them long after the facts fade. Unfortunately, too many policymakers focus on what content should be mandated, rather than how that content is used as a tool to teach these essential skills. Instead of empowering teachers to help students learn how to think, boards and legislatures too often get mired in ideological battles over what to think. The effect is that teachers are distracted from their mission, students are shortchanged, and public education drifts further away from its original purpose: preparing young people to thrive as adults. The challenge before us is clear: Knowledge is critical, but it is the vehicle we use to deliver the lifelong skills that define success. If we want a generation ready to lead, work and thrive, then we must prepare them not simply to remember the curriculum but to live beyond it. If we are serious about preparing the next generation for success, we need to let teachers do what they do best: inspire curiosity, foster critical thought, and prepare students not just for tests but for life. I've spent my career in education, and I can tell you this with certainty: Facts and dates may fade from memory, but the ability to think, to adapt, to collaborate and to contribute will remain. That is the true measure of education. It's time for policymakers and school boards to step back from political battles and let teachers focus on what matters most – preparing our kids for life. Kevin Brown is a retired superintendent of the Rocklin Unified School District.