A Power Shift in Public Education: Seven Strategies for Dealing with Broken Promises [Paperback]

A Power Shift in Public Educationmakes a direct assault on what the author believes are the primary causes of the failed public school system in America. This no-holds-barred book about big ideas makes the case that billions of dollars and millions of man hours have been spent chasing the wrong solutions. For decades, government units at the national, state, and local levels have directed their efforts and funding to new programs and materials, when their policies should have been directed at staffing schools with outstanding teachers, implementing hiring practices free of favoritism and patronage, and supporting building principals, the real heroes of public education.
Pandiscio directly attacks the method by which teachers are compensated, the reluctance of boards of education to link superintendent compensation to clearly defined student learning goals, and the unwillingness of state and local officials to confront the negative impact of teacher unions and binding arbitration on education budgets.

Herbert F. Pandisciohas extensive and unparalleled experience as a school administrator and as a search consultant; his work has taken him into more than one hundred school districts and put him in contact with hundreds of superintendents and board of education members. As an insider privy to the inner workings of school districts, he has witnessed many examples of why schools across the nation are failing and then identified seven strategies to confront the problem and assist schools to meet the mandate of providing the same quality of education to students.

Often controversial, hard-hitting, and sometimes even in-your-face, this small book is packed full of big ideas. And if you have a penchant for a business model being applied to school systems, you'll definitely find this a fascinating, intellectually grounded read. Forcing school boards-the true stewards of American elementary and secondary schools-to accept their stewardship roles and lÃ