Last month, I explained why 2016 was “The Year We Came Apart”—both the nation, and the education reform movement. Now, rejuvenated by the holiday break, let me suggest that 2017 can be the year we come back together again.
No Pollyanna, I. On virtually every issue, Americans remained sharply divided. We won't magically find new middle ground in contentious areas like abortion, Obamacare, taxes, climate change, or much else. Within education reform's big tent, disagreement is also here to stay. We'll continue vigorously to debate one another on matters big and small—about the appropriate role of standards and testing; the pros and cons of various approaches to accountability; how much deference to show parents versus oversight agencies when it comes to judging school quality; and on and on.
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