Thirty years ago, the White House commissioned "A Nation at Risk," a now famous report documenting the sorry state of America’s public education program.
In the present day, the country’s schools have only gotten worse. As a result, a massive educational reform effort is now taking place all across the country. Spurred by President Obama’s introduction of the Race to the Top program with its promise of federal money, several states submitted plans for teacher evaluation, establishing tenure, fixing failing schools and introducing alternatives to the traditional public school model.
Journalist Steven Brill tackles this complex issue in his new book, “Class Warfare: Inside the Fight to Fix America’s Schools.” Brill interviews teachers, union leaders, parents, activists, opponents to reform, school board members and students to compile a substantial view of this multifaceted topic. But Brill doesn’t only pick apart what’s wrong, he even suggests a “grand bargain” of his own design to increase teacher quality across the board.
WEIGH IN:
What is wrong with America’s schools? What alternatives do students have beyond the typical public education system? How are teachers being evaluated and graded? What role will unions play in education reform? With a problem so pervasive and large, where do we start?
Guest:
Steven Brill, author of “Class Warfare: Inside the Fight to Fix America’s Schools” (Simone & Schuster); CEO of Press+, a company aimed at creating a new business model for online journalism; founder of The American Lawyer magazine and Court TV