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Excellence in Education: The Making of Great Schools

Chester E. Finn, Jr.
2.16.2005

Cyril Taylor and Conor Ryan, David Fulton Publishers
2004

From across the sea comes this perceptive account of school improvement efforts in England, especially those under the umbrella of the Specialist Schools Trust. The primary author, Sir Cyril Taylor, is that organization's inspiration and admiral, as well as an advisor on education policy to the Blair government. In 300+ pages and 18 chapters, he and his colleague get fairly concrete about the essential elements of successful schools, turning around failing schools, getting the curriculum right, deploying the school team, and much else. Though their policy framework is England (and Wales), U.S. education leaders could learn much from their wide-ranging experience, their sagacity and their erudition. The ISBN is 1843122138, the publisher (in the U.K.) is David Fulton, and you can learn more here.

Tags: England United Kingdom

Chester E. Finn, Jr., scholar, educator and public servant, has devoted his career to improving education in the United States. At Fordham, he is now Distinguished Senior Fellow and President Emeritus. He’s also a Volker Senior Fellow at…

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