This latest book pertaining to American school reform is one of the most objective volumes on the subject in perhaps the last 30 years. Jennings, an education expert, presents a critical examination of the landmark educational paper known as the Coleman Report, commissioned by Congress in 1966, and its aftermath. The document was meant to be instrumental in determining why US public schools declined during the later portion of the 20th century and what the country’s educational leaders should do to stop that dramatic decline and reverse the trend. If followed, the report’s recommendations would ensure that all students had equal educational opportunities, allowing the US to resume its position as a world educational leader. Identifying four major educational reform movements—school equity, school choice, standards-based education, and school accountability—Jennings illustrates how each innovation failed to address the central outcome of the Coleman Report, which focused on the central role of the family in ensuring that all children were educated to the highest levels of their abilities. Without family economic parity, all the reforms were doomed to fail. This is a must read for all aspiring educational reformers and policy makers. Essential. General readers through faculty; professionals.
Fatigued by Reform, Jack Jennings’ latest book, gives you an intriguing front-row view of how federal policymakers ignored the famous “Coleman Report” in favor of making schools jump through serial hoops of reform. They promoted equity, choice, standards, and tests—anything, in short, that let them ignore poverty and the disintegration of communities around the schools. Written in clear, no-nonsense prose by a legendary insider in the U.S. House of Representatives, Fatigued by Reform is a “must read” for all interested in school policymaking.
In Fatigued by Reform, Jennings brings a refreshing and much needed perspective on how the last half-century of major K-12 education reform efforts have impacted actual results, not just rhetorical claims, with actual evidence to support his conclusions. Based on his decades of experience in the national policy arena, Jennings adds much needed credibility to his analysis. Based on all of this, the underlying question is ‘Where do we go from here.’ Hopefully, this analysis will force the policy community to return to the key issues of teachers and teaching and how we move forward to close the equity gap.
Fatigued by School Reform is a thought-provoking read that reflects Jack Jennings’ career-long commitment to protecting and strengthening America’s public schools for all—and especially for our least well-served students. Jack’s analysis of some of the major “reforms” of the last half-century rings all too true—too much test-based accountability and too little attention to poverty. And while I would place more emphasis on elevating the teaching profession, his conclusion that success in schools is not just an educational issue is fundamental. Today, communities across our country are in epic struggles to secure the supports and services that our children need and deserve. Policymakers would do well to listen to the countless educators and parents who are, indeed, fatigued by school reform—and to Jack Jennings history lesson that provides an important perspective on why.
This clear-eyed, no-nonsense book contends that the past 50 years of education reform initiatives have managed to miss the most important part of the puzzle: Bringing parents and teachers together to support children's success in school. Parents and teachers have been pushed aside or blamed, instead of receiving resources to build close and effective partnerships. Jack is an experienced hand at developing education policy and we would do well to heed his advice.
Fatigued by School Reform is a must read for policymakers, education leaders, and academics. However, it is so well-written and engaging, it would be thoroughly enjoyed by other audiences including classroom teachers and parents.
Jennings observations are very informative and entirely consistent with those I have had since I first entered the trenches in about 1957. The lenses he used to look at this time period have clarified many things I observed and I now have a better understanding of many things that were hazy. This book should be required reading for anyone involved in educational policy to, among other things, avoid being doomed to repeat past mistakes and to engage in more enlightened and productive reforms.
Jack Jennings does a masterful job in exploring five decades of federal education policy and the impact on our public schools. Using a seminal research study to support his recommendations, Jack Jennings eloquently reminds policy makers of the need to address social and economic policy to support school improvement as well. As someone who has worked in public education for 39 years, I appreciate Mr. Jennings’ candor and insightful recommendations! I sincerely hope this book generates a much-needed conversation to support public education in the United States!
This latest book pertaining to American school reform is one of the most objective volumes on the subject in perhaps the last 30 years. Jennings, an education expert, presents a critical examination of the landmark educational paper known as the Coleman Report, commissioned by Congress in 1966, and its aftermath. The document was meant to be instrumental in determining why US public schools declined during the later portion of the 20th century and what the country’s educational leaders should do to stop that dramatic decline and reverse the trend. If followed, the report’s recommendations would ensure that all students had equal educational opportunities, allowing the US to resume its position as a world educational leader. Identifying four major educational reform movements—school equity, school choice, standards-based education, and school accountability—Jennings illustrates how each innovation failed to address the central outcome of the Coleman Report, which focused on the central role of the family in ensuring that all children were educated to the highest levels of their abilities. Without family economic parity, all the reforms were doomed to fail. This is a must read for all aspiring educational reformers and policy makers. Essential. General readers through faculty; professionals.
This latest book pertaining to American school reform is one of the most objective volumes on the subject in perhaps the last 30 years. Jennings, an education expert, presents a critical examination of the landmark educational paper known as the Coleman Report, commissioned by Congress in 1966, and its aftermath. The document was meant to be instrumental in determining why US public schools declined during the later portion of the 20th century and what the country’s educational leaders should do to stop that dramatic decline and reverse the trend. If followed, the report’s recommendations would ensure that all students had equal educational opportunities, allowing the US to resume its position as a world educational leader. Identifying four major educational reform movements—school equity, school choice, standards-based education, and school accountability—Jennings illustrates how each innovation failed to address the central outcome of the Coleman Report, which focused on the central role of the family in ensuring that all children were educated to the highest levels of their abilities. Without family economic parity, all the reforms were doomed to fail. This is a must read for all aspiring educational reformers and policy makers. Summing Up: Essential. General readers through faculty; professionals.
