How to Rescue Education Reform
is the title of this interesting New York Times op ed. It is interesting, and unusual, in the pair of authors, because they are normally not seen as allies on matters educational, disagreeing strongly on things like merit pay for teachers, to cite only one example.
Linda Darling-Hammond is one of the most notable figure in education, having been a professor at Teachers College Columbia and now at Stanford, a prolific author, on numerous commissions and boards, and serving as the director of the Obama administration's transition team on education. Rick Hess is equally notable in the think tank world, being a key voice on education based at the American Enterprise Institute.
In examining the pending reauthorization of the current iteration of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, commonly known as No Child Left Behind, they find 4 key things that the Federal government can and should do in education upon which they agree.
I will explore those four things below the fold, but will not be upset if you are already convinced and choose instead to stop reading here and go directly to the piece in the Times.
Full disclosure: I have reviewed books by both of these notables, worked in conjunction with Darling-Hammond on a number of educational issues. My own orientation is more in her direction than that of Hess, and I consider her a friend as well as a colleague. But I also respect a good deal of Hess's work.
I hope you will keep reading.
