The debate is about to begin. What to watch for?
- Will Mike Smith and Peter Edelman make it clear that they support test-based accountability? Or will they argue that since "schools alone" can't close the achievement gap, "schools alone" shouldn't be held accountable?
- Will Smith and Edelman say conservatives are Scrooges for not willing to pay more for social services initiatives?
- Will Gene Hickok and Doug Besharov point out that pre-k initiatives and other "broader/bolder" approaches don't have a great track record of going to scale at quality?
- Will this be a real debate or will everyone say we have to focus on school improvement AND rebuild the social safety net?
Stay tuned. It's starting NOW.
