Peg Tyre lays out the fundaments of a good school—and a good education—clearly and without bias. How I wish I'd had this book when my husband and I were choosing an elementary school for our daughter!” —Peggy Orenstein, author of the New York Times-bestselling Cinderella Ate My Daughter

“[Tyre] wields research like a scythe, slicing through the thick growth of deeply rooted beliefs about education, forging a path for bewildered or frustrated parents.” —The New York Times

“Journalist Peg Tyre's new book...condenses decades of education research to help parents make better choices about selecting schools for their children.” —USA Today

“Tyre offers solutions. With a splash of history, the author discusses pedagogies, as well as what to look for in a good preschool teacher...[and] provides respectful ways for approaching—or changing—the system...This is not an indictment of teachers, but rather an eye-opening tool for parental involvement.” —Kirkus

“With research and news reports documenting a range in school quality from glorious to horrendous, how is a parent to know where their child's school fits in that range? Education journalist Tyre analyzes the factors that contribute to a good school, giving parents practical advice on how to evaluate schools...An engaging and valuable resource.” —Booklist

“If you have young children or have children who have young children, I hope you will [read this book]— it's a chatty, non-theoretical story of how our schools got to be testing-machines-so-the-states-get-federal-education-money and how, despite that, you can help your offspring acquire some book learning...[Tyre is] as much of a resource as a great librarian or that teacher you'll never forget. Use her.” —Jesse Kornbluth, The Huffington Post

“Tyre mines education research data to find out which programs and strategies give kids the highest probabilities of academic success. The result is a concise handbook for parents, one that applies a macro-economic view of education in an effort to create a more rational market around school choice.” —Freakonomics.com

Award-winning journalist Tyre (Journalism/Columbia Univ.;The Trouble With Boys, 2009, etc.) adds new perspective to the depressing state of American education with real-world lessons for parents.

Many parents assume that affluent schools and small class size provide the best education for children. This is not necessarily true, writes the author. Interspersed with dreary anecdotes and myth-busting studies, the author's latest focuses on early education (preschool through junior high) to help parents make good school choices. Dismal facts include the National Center for Education Statistics' finding that "about a third of children in our public schools fail to become proficient readers." Thankfully, Tyre offers solutions. With a splash of history, the author discusses pedagogies, as well as what to look for in a good preschool teacher (highly verbal teachers are most effective). In addition, parents should not be afraid to ask about a teacher's degree or a school's number of first-year instructors. Tyre outlines many red flags, such as the derogatory "widget" mentality—i.e. administrators who view teachers as interchangeable cogs with identical skill sets. She cautions against using standardized test scores as accurate indicators of school performance. Scores broken down by subgroups and long-term trends offer more information. Not everyone has the luxury of choice, but the author provides respectful ways for approaching—or changing—the system. She also emphasizes working with children at home for a greater educational experience.

This is not an indictment of teachers, but rather an eye-opening tool for parental involvement.