Education Reform in 2010

This article by Romina Boccia of The Independent Women's Forum is a fair summary of the advances or lack thereof in public education. Makes a good basis for the neutering of teachers' unions and elimination of the Department of Education.

Excerpt: 2010 was marked by;

- The implementation of sweeping changes in teacher employment and pay in NYC and DC

- The release of three movies covering the need for broad education reform across the nation

- The first-time use of parent trigger to turn a failing school around in California

- A wider awareness of the positive role technology can play in raising academic achievement

- A growing public debate on the neglected role of parental choice and empowerment in the education of America's children.

Policy makers should build on this momentum in 2011 to further improve American education policy.

One thing becomes clear as part of a review of the diversity of reform approaches we experienced in 2010. There is no effective one-size-fits all solution to education reform. Attempts by the federal government to reform education on the national level, through Race to the Top and No-Child-Left-Behind for example, are the wrong approach to affecting real change in American education. Decisions over changes to education policy are best made on a local level in states and localities, and the most promising reform efforts are those that empower the main stakeholders to participate fully in the process: parents and children.

Read full article here.