There's a lot of feeling that the school curriculum has been bare-bones, just drill and, again, no art, music, and so on and so forth.

You have to remember, we may be the only nation, the only one I know of, that uses test scores not to assess kids, but to assess teachers. I think we're unique in doing that.

Anyone who fears, as I do, that today's public schools are dangerously close to being irrelevant must read this book. The authors provide a road map-and a lifeline-showing how schools can prosper under the most difficult conditions. It is a welcome departure from all the school bashing.