From the unique perspective gained heading Obama's education policy transition team, Darling-Hammond describes President Obama's commitment to making the education of every child a collective responsibility and reviews the major tenets of the new administration's plans for education. She reflects on the importance of suggested policy changes,…

Although No Child Left Behind (NCLB) aims to close the achievement gap that parallels race and class, some of its key provisions are at odds with reforms that are successfully overhauling the large, comprehensive high schools that traditionally have failed students of color and low-income students in urban areas. While small, restructured schools…

Alternative assessments have sometimes been used for such purposes as external control of schools. Equitable use of alternatives such as performance-based assessment depends on top-down support for bottom-up reform, careful design, and how well assessment is interwoven with the goals of authentic school reform and effective teaching. (SK)