Why School Reform Is Failing and What We Need to Do about It: 10 Lessons from the Trenches

by Jerry Wartgow

Overview

Why School Reform Is Failing and What We Need to Do about It evolved from a review of the educational and managerial theory and history that shaped our contemporary public education system. This theoretical construct is then interpreted through more than forty years of valuable experience acquired by the author while working in the trenches of education reform. This book's amalgamation of theory and practice is translated into ten lessons learned from attempts to reform and improve public education to date. It provides the perspective of a practitioner as to how and why the unintended consequences of well-intentioned people have hindered, rather than helped, to reform and improve our schools. It calls for us to pause, take a deep breath, and learn from the experiences of the past before launching the latest reform de jour in a frenzied quest to find a silver bullet or quick fix to the many, varied and complex issues that are enmeshed in education reform. More importantly, it presents a roadmap and recommendations for steps that need to be taken to reform school reform so that we can realize meaningful and sustainable improvements in student achievement.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781578866984
Publisher:	R&L Education
Publication date:	12/11/2007
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	6.24(w) x 9.03(h) x 0.57(d)

About the Author

Jerry Wartgow has over forty years of experience working in the trenches at all levels of education, including nearly thirty years as the president/chief executive officer of large, complex educational institutions and organizations. Most recently (2001-2005), he served as superintendent of Denver Public Schools. He is the founding president and president emeritus of the Colorado Community College System.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Part One: Education Reform Is Very Slow, Long, and Hard Work
Chapter 2 1. There Are No Quick Fixes or Silver Bullets
Chapter 3 2. It's the Culture, Stupid!
Part 4 Part Two: Capacity Building Is Key
Chapter 5 3. Civic Capacity Is the Foundation of Successful Reform
Chapter 6 4. Collaboration Is Key to Capacity Building
Chapter 7 5. Institutional Capacity Must Be in Place Prior to Initiating Reform
Part 8 Part Three: The Three Ls (Legislation, Litigation, and Labor Agreements) Are Strangling the Three Rs
Chapter 9 6. Beware of the Unintended Consequences of Well-Intentioned People
Chapter 10 7. Litigation and Labor Agreements Are the Elephants in the Room
Part 11 Part Four: Theories, Models, and Different Perspectives
Chapter 12 8. Those Who Do Not Understand History Are Destined to Repeat It
Chapter 13 9. Keep Theory and Practice in Proper Perspective
Chapter 14 10. Define and Deal with Reality

Editorial Reviews

Two things are missing from the national debate on school reform: common sense derived from experience and an acknowledgement that systemic change doesn't happen overnight. Without a shred of sentimentality, Jerry Wartgow argues for patience and better implementation strategies in improving our schools. His 'take a deep breath' approach is a breath of fresh air after years of overheated rhetoric. Educators in the trenches will embrace the advice in this book.

Leanna Landsman

People, not rules, make a good school. In this bold book, Jerry Wartgow takes aim at the sacred cows that keep us from restoring the human control needed to breathe life back into America's schools. Wartgow is persuasive in explaining why we need to save schools from the reformers.

Philip K. Howard

This well written and insightful book is a must read for anyone who cares about the future of public education. Every chapter is packed with lessons learned from hours upon hours of school board and community meetings, union contract negotiations and budget balancing exercises. Nothing is easy about reforming public education but this book will help the reader gain a better understanding of the elements that must be in place for reform to be successful.

Elaine Gantz Berman

This book will raise eyebrows! Some will be astounded that Wartgow has precisely nailed-down the elements of school reform that currently don't work. Others will be intrigued by his recommendations for steps that need to be taken by parents, teachers, administrators, legislators, citizens and labor leaders to rethink strategies and apply them long-term. Others will be offended because he posits that we all have abdicated our stake in bolstering student achievement....

Views - 2008

Wartgow skillfully and entertainingly shares his journey to show us how parents, teachers, and politicians must work together to improve education for children.

Bill Jackson

This book will raise eyebrows! Some will be astouned that Wartgow has precisely nailed-down the elements of school reform that currently don't work. Others will be intrigued by his recommendations for steps that need to be taken by parents, teachers, administrators, legislators, citizens, and labor leaders to rethink strategies and apply them long-term.

Views

Jerry Wartgow's book is a must-read for every educator, parent and community leader who is weary of 'flavor of the month' school reform. Wartgow is knowledgeable, experienced and 'gets it'. All who are interested in improving education will benefit from studying the ten lessons that he has distilled from 40 years of working at all levels of education.

Ramon Cortines

This book will raise eyebrows! Some will be astouned that Wartgow has precisely nailed-down the elements of school reform that currently don't work. Others will be intrigued by his recommendations for steps that need to be taken by parents, teachers, administrators, legislators, citizens, and labor leaders to rethink strategies and apply them long-term.

Spring 2008 Views