Bomer challenges the logic and effectiveness of current educational policy, noting that just as educational practice was becoming interdisciplinary and promoting holistic growth, philanthropic organizations pulled away from the effort with the expectation that government and other funding entities would pick up the responsibility. They didn't. Bomer makes a plea to begin reform toward a policy of literacy education that seeks to develop excellence and flexibility, and promotes inquiry into and enrichment of the varied languages and literacies of students. (Contains 1 figure and 1 footnote.)