The Obama Education Plan: An Education Week Guide

“At a time when parents, business leaders, and educators are universally pleading for a new approach—a new paradigm—for preparing today’s young people to meet changing global realities, there is great need for open dialogue about the future of education. This book leads the way in informing and guiding that dialogue.”
—Stephen R. Covey, author, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The Leader in Me

“A useful, balanced collection of the major contending views of education policy-makers. By setting the stage, it helps us think simultaneously about how to respond to the current climate of reform as well as the direction we might take if we chose to launch even bolder plans for changing America.”
—Deborah Meier, senior scholar, New York University, and teacher for 40 years in urban public schools

“A useful introduction to pertinent issues facing the nation’s schools.”—S.T. Schroth, Knox College
—Recommended. All readership levels.

The Obama Education Plan: An Education Week Guide

“Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy.”
—Barack Obama, August 28, 2008

Barack Obama’s campaign proposals stood out for their breadth, detail, and ambitious goals. From the beginning, he made clear that investment in education was key to our future economic prosperity. His comprehensive plan called for expanding early education opportunities for all children, improving teacher quality, supporting school innovation, and putting a college education within reach of many more students.

Elected on a platform of hope and change, President Obama inherits a world of problems—notably, an economy in crisis—which will clearly affect the pace and scale of reform. This book provides background on key points in President Obama’s education plan: articles on key educational issues, stories of innovative practice, commentaries on controversial topics, and advice from key educational leaders. These will provide valuable insights on the complex issues at hand as Obama’s proposals are debated, legislated, and implemented in the years to come.

“At a time when parents, business leaders, and educators are universally pleading for a new approach – a new paradigm – for preparing today’s young people to meet changing global realities, there is great need for open dialogue about the future of education. This book leads the way in informing and guiding that dialogue.”
—Stephen R. Covey, author, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The Leader in Me

“A useful, balanced collection of the major contending views of education policy-makers. By setting the stage, it helps us think simultaneously about how to respond to the current climate of reform as well as the direction we might take if we chose to launch even bolder plans for changing America.”
—Deborah Meier, senior scholar, New York University, and teacher for 40 years in urban public schools

Education Week is America’s education newspaper of record. For over 25 years, Education Week has had a significant impact on the school reform debate through its focused and nuanced coverage and its continuing role as a forum for the exchange of important ideas in education.