Students are telling us what they need to succeed. It’s time for us to listen.

The Walton Family Foundation and Gallup Gen Z Panel amplifies the voices of Gen Z. It gives policymakers, researchers and educators key information they need to drive change.

The data is clear: Gen Z is optimistic about their future. But Gen Z students do not feel like their education is giving them the tools they need to thrive. They report dealing with mental health challenges at higher rates than other generations. They feel increasingly dissatisfied with the options presented to them after high school. And they are frustrated with the lack of options to study topics they find interesting.

These problems cannot be solved by sticking to the status quo. Together, we need to be bold. It’s on us to shape an education system that will respond to Gen Z’s concerns and truly set them up for success.