Harvard Education PR Bush-Obama School Reform: Lessons Learned (Educational Innovations Series)

Frederick M. Hess and Michael Q. McShane have gathered a diverse group of scholars to examine the shifting federal role in education across the presidential administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. While the administrations were vastly different, one thing remained constant: an ongoing and significant expansion of the federal role in education. Moreover, many of the key principles underlying federal reform remained consistent: an emphasis on standards and test-based accountability; teacher quality as measured by test scores; school choice; and the importance of research in evaluating improvement initiatives.Rather than evaluating the merits of particular reforms, the book's contributors look at how federal involvement shaped the ways these initiatives were taken up―and by whom―as well as the sources and contours of political resistance. The contributors address a wide range of topics, from standards and accountability to charter schools to the federal role in education research and the civil rights paradigm as a way of framing education issues. The book pays special attention to the political dynamics that shaped the success or failure of prominent reform initiatives, including No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, Common Core, and teacher evaluation, and each chapter concludes with a series of ""Lessons Learned"" that highlight key takeaways for moving forward.By examining the federal role in education across two such different administrations and over a sustained period of time, Bush-Obama School Reform offers a wealth of insight into the factors that support or constrain an expanded federal role in a range of education reforms and provides invaluable guidance for a changing era. From the Back Cover <div>Frederick M. Hess and Michael Q. McShane have gathered a diverse group of scholars to examine the significant expansion of the federal role in education across the presidential administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The contributors address a wide range of topics, from standards and accountability to charter schools to the federal role in education research and the civil rights paradigm as a way of framing education issues.<br> &#160;<br><i>Bush-Obama School Reform</i> offers a wealth of insight into the factors that support or constrain an expanded federal role in a range of education reforms and provides invaluable guidance for a changing era.<br> &#160;<br> &#8220;The best policy is designed for the future with a deep appreciation for what the past has taught. <i>Bush-Obama School Reform</i>, the first scholarly compendium of lessons from sixteen of the most active and activist years in education policy, launches a critical discussion.&#8221;<br><b>&#8212;</b><b>Joanne Weiss</b>, president, Weiss Associates, former chief of staff to US Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and former director, Race to the Top Program<br> &#160;<br> &#8220;These smart essays deftly explore the paradoxes, ironies, lessons, ambitions, brands, victories, and defeats of education reform at the federal level. The book serves as a cautionary tale of &#8216;policy windows&#8217; that open wide nationally and the forces that slam them shut, and offers lessons for the next generation of education wonks.&#8221;<br><b>&#8212;</b><b>Stefanie Sanford,</b> chief, Global Policy and External Relations, The College Board<br> &#160;<br> &#8220;This collection captures a fresh perspective on the politics and ideas that defined an era in education policy. Those working to shape the path forward should seek ways to build upon the lessons learned in&#160;<i>Bush-Obama School Reform</i>.&#34;<br><b>&#160;&#8212;</b><b>Roberto J. Rodriguez,</b> former White House deputy assistant to President Barack Obama, and president and CEO, Teach Plus<br> &#160;<br><b>Frederick M. Hess</b> is the director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. <b>Michael Q. McShane</b> is the director of nation