Education reform is about improving the quality of schools and educational institutions. It is about addressing inequities within and between schools, ensuring adequate funding, and focusing on accountability systems such as test-based metrics, value-added measures, and academic standards. But it is also about forming human beings and democratic citizens.
Educators and policymakers have always struggled to reconcile these multiple objectives in a meaningful way. This is no small task. For example, the goals of equity, excellence, and high achievement often conflict with one another, as does the need for innovation in pedagogy and curriculum.
The nation has left behind a time of broad, bipartisan educational consensus in favor of a more polarized approach. Education choice has emerged as a viable option, but largely as a lifeboat for urban families. Progressive activists have pushed to supersize and subsidize the status quo, including free pre-K, free college, and federal student loan forgiveness. And on the political right, a movement has reemerged that combines a no-nonsense fidelity to school reform with a commitment to values, faith, and family.
While it may be a mistake to think that these new forces represent the end of traditional education reform, they are likely to shape future debates over how best to educate young Americans. In the end, what matters is that we continue to pursue a comprehensive vision of educational reform that combines leadership and rigor with a strong commitment to equity. Then we will have a fighting chance to build an educational system that can deliver on the promise of giving every child a decent chance at success in a democracy.