Join the discussion .... from the New York Times today ...

Is School Reform Hopeless?

INTRODUCTION

Karsten Moran for The New York Times

Last week a Connecticut judge ruled that the educational disparities between rich and poor districts were so great and so persistent that the state needed to revise every major aspect of its school system. The problems he found exist throughout the United States. Why is failure so widespread and persistent in poor districts and how can it be resolved?

DEBATERS

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  Schools Need to Encompass More Than Instruction

  PRUDENCE L. CARTER, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
  Success doesn’t come cheaply. It can require providing health care, meals, shelter for homeless youth and job support. 
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  Teacher Evaluations Ignore the Complexity of the Problem

  ELAINE WEISS, BROADER BOLDER APPROACH TO EDUCATION
  Eliminating atrocious classroom conditions and providing more support, will make it more likely that educators will be effective. 
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  Schools and Communities Need More Autonomy

  ROBIN LAKE, CENTER ON REINVENTING PUBLIC EDUCATION
  School leaders must be able to innovate, to hire teachers who believe in their mission, and to control their budget.
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  More Effort Is Needed to Help Those Learning English

  CAROLA SUÁREZ-OROZCO, U.C.L.A.
  The current accountability mandate is predicated on standardized tests that were not designed with English learners in mind.
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  Seek Out the Role Models for Success

  RONALD FERGUSON, ACHIEVEMENT GAP INITIATIVE
  Some educators create orderly climates, assemble skilled staffs, attract resources from local groups and get parents involved.
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  School Leaders Need More Control of Spending

  MARGUERITE ROZA, AUTHOR, "EDUCATIONAL ECONOMICS"
  California and Boston give principals more money for needy students and more authority, but hold them accountable for results.

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