As a longtime educator, I’ve seen firsthand the crisis facing our nation’s schools.
Let me paint a picture of what’s happening in classrooms today.
A fifth grader sits quietly at his desk, eyes downcast—not because he doesn’t care, but because he can’t read the words on the page. A teacher stares at an empty desk, one of dozens in a classroom where nearly half the students didn’t show up. The bell rings, but fear has kept many at home.
It’s happening all around us. You may be seeing it in your community.
Across America, students are falling through the cracks. Nearly half of graduating seniors can’t read proficiently or solve even a basic math problem. Many don’t feel safe enough to come to school. In one Arizona school district, chronic absenteeism is at 38 percent. Schools in Washington state have at times seen a staggering 40—60 percent absenteeism.
And it's not just academics. Suicide, depression, and anxiety are surging among students. Teachers, overwhelmed and under-supported, are leaving in record numbers. Behind it all, an invisible war is raging for the hearts and minds of the next generation.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed—but we are not without hope. We are not powerless.
Take one Arizona high school, for example. It had been labeled an “F” school, riddled with drugs, violence, and despair. One to three students a month were overdosing. But then believers began to intercede. They prayerwalked the campus and held all-night prayer vigils, crying out for God to move. And He did.
The overdoses stopped. The spiritual atmosphere began to shift. Within a year, the school skyrocketed from an “F” to an “A” School of Excellence. The following year, it was ranked an “A+” school and named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best high schools in America.
This is the power of prayer.
Years ago, as a young teacher in a Texas high school plagued by drugs, gangs, and violence, I felt powerless—until I began to prayerwalk the campus. Soon, other teachers joined me. We didn’t just pray. We pleaded for revival.
One day, I discovered a classroom set of The Cross and the Switchblade—the true story of Nicky Cruz, a gang leader transformed by Jesus. God opened the door for me to teach the book, show the movie to the entire student body, and invite Nicky to speak at a school-wide assembly.
When he finished sharing how Jesus set him free, the entire auditorium erupted in a spontaneous standing ovation. Students wept. Teachers wept. That day, in this public high school, all the students could do was talk about Jesus. Revival broke out—and everything changed.
I’ve never been the same since. And I’ve never stopped believing that prayer can transform any school—no matter how broken, no matter how dark.
Whether you're a parent, grandparent, teacher, student, or just someone who cares—we’re asking you to adopt your local schools and commit to prayerwalking, prayerdriving, or interceding from home. Click the “Count Me In” button to tell us what school or schools you are covering in prayer.
To help you pray strategically each day, we created Reclaim a Generation: 21 Days of Prayer for Schools (Vol 2) —a simple and powerful guide to use individually or with a prayer group. Available at Amazon.com & PrayerShop.org, where multiple copy discounts may be found.
We’ve seen the results:
Here’s How You Can Join This Movement
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