Reforms often fail because politics favors symbols over substance.

Things get done only if the data we gather can inform and inspire those in a position to make a difference.

What gets measured (and clearly defined) does get done.

School improvement is not a mystery. Incremental, even dramatic improvement is not only possible but probable under the right conditions.

In a healthy system, there is no blame.

Learning, without any opportunities to share what we've learned, is a little like cooking for ourselves; we do it, but we probably won't do it as well.

When we unnecessarily elongate the process of "learning to read," we postpone "reading to learn learning itself - by years.