When 80% of parents wanted in-person learning and got virtual school instead, venture capitalist Paul Martino discovered his job description had changed: he was now doing the superintendent’s job for him.
In August 2020, Paul Martino wasn’t looking for a fight. He was looking for answers.
The Central Bucks School District — Pennsylvania’s largest public school district — had just announced a switch to virtual learning, despite a survey showing over 80% of district parents preferred in-person education. Martino, whose kids were 9 and 11, felt something snap.
“It happened out of pure anger.”
That anger became action. Martino, a venture capitalist by trade, launched a grassroots movement that would ultimately lead to the superintendent’s resignation and school board member replacements. More importantly, it sparked a template that parents across the country would follow to reclaim their voice in their children’s education.
“We ended up putting the school board on notice that we were paying attention,” Martino recalls. Soon, his phone was ringing with calls from around the country asking the same question: How did you do that?