One of the many things the pandemic has illuminated is where schools get stuck. For more than a year, millions of children attended school remotely, and yet the quality of that instruction remained hostage to the capacities of geographically determined school districts.

For me, this period has brought back thoughts of Education Unbound, which I penned more than a decade ago. The book sketched a vision of what I call “greenfield schooling.” The premise is simple: Profound educational improvement requires more than fine-tuning systems that have evolved over two centuries; it requires policymakers and educational leaders to revisit organizing assumptions about the grammar of schooling.


The Greenfield Path to School Improvement





Also In this Issue

Reshaping Assessment and Accountability in 2021 and Beyond

By Bonnie O'Keefe, Andrew Rotherham and Jennifer O'Neal Schiess

Data about system performance will continue to lie at the heart of school improvement.





The Role of Technology in Reimagining School

By Kristen Amundson and Andrew Ko

Pandemic or no, states ought to press for better technology for personalized learning and making staff and students safer.





The Greenfield Path to School Improvement

By Frederick Hess

State Policymakers can help clear away the rubble that impedes vibrant reform.





Transforming Learning through Competency-Based Education

By Susan Patrick

States are adopting a range of policies to personalize student learning and move away from seat-time rules.






Seize the Moment: Double Down on Authentic Learning

By Monica Martinez and Dennis McGrath

Project-based learning tied to students' communities and interests readily makes the leap across modes of instruction.





Moving toward Competency-Based Professional Learning

By Melissa Tooley and Joseph Hood

Microcredentials embedded in effective learning systems can promote teacher growth, advancement, and retention.





Kansas Schools Build Resilience amid Redesign

By Valerie Norville

Schools opt to change their approaches to learning and see gains in adaptability.







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Technology in Education

Savvy state leaders will set their sights on ways to broaden access to technology’s benefits, solve problems confronting educators, and protect students against the risks of misuse.
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Developing Content Standards: A Foundational Task for State Boards

State boards of education typically play a central role in approving academic content standards, though their authority varies by state. This boardsmanship review outlines guiding principles and common processes to help state boards develop high-quality standards.
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Strengthening Student Engagement and Adult Support

Many state boards of education reserve a seat at the board table for students. But representation is only the first step. Students need to be proactive and receive mentorship to be effective in their state board roles.

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