Education reform encompasses a broad range of goals and includes curriculum standards, teacher training, school choice and student assessment. Often, these reforms are pursued to address specific social problems such as poverty- or class-based achievement gaps. However, the results of these efforts are far from universal, indicating the challenge of implementing and maintaining changes in the education system.
There’s much to criticize about President Obama’s legacy on education, but it seems inarguable that state standards have improved compared to the era of No Child Left Behind. More importantly, there’s now a booming market in high-quality educational curricula. These resources provide teachers with tools to better engage students and support learning. They are a critical part of the second education reform movement, one that has many AFT locals at its helm.
Unlike the first reform movement, this second effort is focused on addressing the needs of the vast majority of our nation’s students. It aims to create a public education institution that is more responsive to children and adults, recognizing that schools are different from other institutions and professions. To do this, it requires much more than simply funding additional charter schools or expanding vouchers. It requires a more comprehensive approach that focuses on building capacity for teachers through training and mentorship. This approach would be aided by more professional development that is grounded in serious research and proven theory. It also requires more robust, strategic, and sustainable support for schools and districts, primarily from state departments of education but also through a network of locally-led, teacher-led local entities and nonprofit organizations.
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