One of the most immediate (and probably least expensive) improvements we could make to our public school system would be to replace the zero-tolerance policy with adults who are capable of examining situations on a case-by-case basis and applying an appropriate mix of discipline and direction.

Of course, as long as I'm planning utopia here, maybe we could properly fund public schools, wash out teachers and administrators that have no business dealing with kids, improve teacher education, expect students to clean their lunchroom and classrooms as a matter of course so they learn shared responsibility, reduce the influence of parents over grading and discipline, etc. But if anything we're going backwards.