fmf Reform Program: our schools are struggling to meet the challenges of the last century and cannot begin to meet the challenges of this century. We must re-engineer them with modern techniques to meet ambitious new goals, so that, once again, they inspire new generations to become world leaders. We cannot reform the current system, but we can already see the outlines of a powerful new system that will replace it. HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN! Look at the new DESIGN for schools, comment in our BLOG, give your opinions in the IDEAS FORUM.

The Paradox of Business Ideas for the Reform of Schools

Fri, 07/24/2009 - 18:29 — Editor

There is long tradition of elder statesmen from business proposing ways to reform public schools - David Kearns of Xerox, Lou Gerstner of IBM and recently Craig Barrett of Intel spring to mind, all respected and successful ex-leaders of major corporations. (An edited form of a recent speech by Craig Barrett can be found at eSchool News, Mon. Jul 20,  2009.)

As an ex-business person, I find much to admire in such leaders, and much to agree with in their fears for US public schools, but I am baffled by their reforms, which follow conventional business thinking - OF THE LAST CENTURY, if not the century before.

Who’s Accountable, Who’s Responsible?

Sun, 03/22/2009 - 21:14 — Editor

While reading Daniel Koretz' book ---- Measuring Up: What Educational Testing Really Tells Us    ---  I came across one sentence that stopped me in my tracks:

And it seems clear that student achievement must be one of the most important things for which educators and school systems should be accountable.

How can something seem so clear and yet be so obviously incorrect - especially coming from a balanced expert, whose book seemed a full of good sense and moderation? What has gone wrong?

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