K-12 Schools: Beyond the Rhetoric is a diablog—our invented term for a web-based dialogue that seeks to counter sound bites with actual conversation.
The blog appears seasonally, and for short durations of time, because it takes quite a bit of work to generate and requires significant contributions of time from guests. The result, however, is generally something we’re proud of. Not because it is perfect. But because it represents a good faith effort to learn more about the positions maintained by others. Thus, while we may never change each other’s minds on this blog, we do end up understanding each other better, and carving out some common ground for futher discussion.
Following Michelle Rhee, Julian Vasquez-Heilig, and Andy Smarick, the latest guest on the blog is Paul Reville, who will be joining the conversation for the month of February. Having recently completed a five year stint as Secretary of Education for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Paul is currently the Francis Keppel Professor of Practice of Educational Policy and Administration at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Prior to his service as Secretary of Education, Paul chaired the Massachusetts State Board of Education, founded the Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy, co-founded the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education (MBAE), chaired the Massachusetts Reform Review Commission, chaired the Massachusetts Commission on Time and Learning, and served as executive director of the Pew Forum on Standards-Based Reform. He also played a central role in the development of and advocacy for the historic Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993.
Stay tuned for a conversation about state-level policymaking and the impact it has on K-12 schools.
And to make sure you never miss a post, you can follow blog host Jack Schneider on Twitter: @Edu_Historian