What is education reform?

by Armstrong Williams - 10/20/10 1:13 PM ET

These are
interesting times for education reform in America today. A lot of politicians
on both sides of the aisle are calling for it, but no one seems to know what
“reform” really looks like.

The issue
reached new levels of salience just a few weeks ago when “Waiting for Superman”
— the new Davis Guggenheim documentary following five students and their
futures in charter schools — opened to nationwide critical acclaim.

There’s no
question this country must have a serious debate on what reform is needed in
our education system. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD), U.S. students in 10^th grade rank 28^th in
math and 22^nd in science out of a total of 39 countries in
proficiency.

Once the hotbed
of innovation, medical and technical advancements, America is now sucking the
exhaust fumes of revving machines such as India, China and other advancing
nations. We are beyond arrested development. We are regressing.

It’s one thing to grasp this reality. It’s quite another to do something about it.

Armstrong Williams is on Sirius/XM Power 169, 7-8 p.m. and 4-5 a.m., Monday through Friday. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/arightside, and follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/arightside.

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