A national, community-powered truth initiative.
Across the country, our public schools carry stories most people never hear - stories of strength, inequity, resilience, trauma, brilliance, and struggle. Each one reveals something essential about what children truly need, and what systems are failing to provide.
For decades, these realities have been hidden behind closed doors, softened in reports, filtered through public relations, or left unspoken because telling the truth has consequences.
The School Truth Project was created to change that.
This project exists to collect lived experiences directly from the people inside our schools - students, families, educators, and community members - and transform them into a public, truth-driven report powerful enough to spark awareness, conversation, and change.
This is not an institutional study.
This is a human study.
A movement built by the people schools serve.
Your story is the beginning of that change.
A report that reveals what is working, what is harmful, and what children truly deserve.
The School Truth Project is creating a multi-district, qualitative report that documents the lived realities inside America's public schools - from kindergarten through high school, across communities, districts, and states.
Your testimonies will be analyzed for:
patterns
strengths
gaps
inequities
experiences that affect student wellbeing
similarities and differences between districts and socioeconomic populations
stories that show both the bright spots and the harm
themes that illuminate what children need from their schools
The final report will highlight:
differences between school districts and individual schools
the impact of socioeconomic factors on student outcomes
the realities educators and families face behind the scenes
the structures that support kids - and the systems that fail them
recommendations for systemic change rooted in real lived experiences
This report is Phase One of a larger national project: a long-term effort to amplify community voices, inspire reform, and bring transparency to systems that have stayed quiet for too long.
This report is Phase 1 of a larger effort to amplify community voices and inspire real reform.
To bring the invisible into public view - safely, honestly, and collectively.
Every school is its own world.
Every families carries its own story.
Every educator holds truths they cannot safely say aloud.
But the wellbeing of children should never depend on silence.
Your voice matters because:
No one understands a school like the people inside it.
Patterns only appear when individuals speak.
Your experiences reveal what children actually need.
Silence protects systems - not kids.
Truth-telling protects the next generation.
Whether your story is small or sweeping, joyful or painful, hopeful or heavy - it belongs here. When we gather those stories together, we build the clearest picture of what our schools, communities, and children are genuinely facing.
Your courage contributes to change.
Independent. Unaffiliated. Community-powered.
The School Truth Project is not aligned with any district, political group, nonprofit, union, or institution.
All content shared is:
voluntary
anonymous
confidential
analyzed responsibly
used solely for research and public awareness
The purpose of this project is to increase understanding and reveal lived realities inside schools - not to target individuals or make accusations. All testimonies will be de-identified and combined into broader themes to protect every participant.
Your identity is fully protected. Always.
Your safety matters more than anything else.
The School Truth Project follows strict confidentiality practices to ensure you can speak honestly without fear:
No identifying information is collected through Google Forms.
No names, emails, login data, or IP addresses.
You may remain anonymous even in one-on-one conversations.
Recordings (if used) are only for transcription and are deleted after.
Administrators, districts, or institutions cannot access submissions.
This project is fully independent.
Data is stored securely and privately.
Only the project creator can view raw responses.
Individual submissions will never be published as-is.
Everything is combined into themes so no story is traceable to one person.
You will never be quoted without removing identifiable details.
Your safety, career, and privacy come first.
Speaking honestly should never put your livelihood at risk.
This project is built to protect you.
Your voice is the heart of this work.
You can participate in the way that feels safest and most accessible for you:
Submit Your Testimony.
Share your experiences - anonymously or with your name attached. This is the fastest and most direct way to contribute.
Request a Conversation.
If speaking feels easier than writing, you may request a phone call, Zoom meeting, or in-person conversation. You may stay anonymous if you choose.
Upload Documents or Evidence.
You may upload:
school or district communications that shaped your experience
notices, emails, or policies that affected your ability to advocate and speak your truth
evidence related to behavior, safety, support, or resources
documentation that shows how concerns were addressed - or dismissed
any written statements or accounts you want included
All uploads are received anonymously.
Your privacy is protected every step of the way.
Support This Project.
This work is independent, self-funded, and requires extensive time, research, interviews, organization, analysis, and writing.
If you believe this work is needed, you can help sustain the project by contributing financially.
Your support keeps the movement alive.
A story of lived experience, heartbreak, and hope.
My name is Jessica Kreger-Arriaga.
I am a former elementary teacher, mother, and advocate for educational equity.
I spent years teaching inside high-needs school communities - witnessing firsthand the inequities, strengths, traumas, and systemic struggles that shape children's lives. I grew up inside those same communities, and I recognized the patterns immediately.
This project was born from a desire to:
tell the truth
amplify unheard voices
document what is often hidden
reflect the lived realities of our schools
bridge gaps between communities and systems
spark awareness that leads to change
Every story matters.
Every perspective matters.
And every voice strengthens this work.
You are invited to be part of something that has the power to reshape how we understand - and care for - the children and communities our schools serve.