Public schools are burdened by intrusive governmental regulation governing curriculum, standardized testing and teacher standards (or lack thereof), the sometimes pernicious influence of teachers' unions and the often deleterious effect of extremists who can exert undue and inappropriate control over the academic curriculum.
High-performing countries don't abandon teacher standards.
Last week the American Federation of Teachers, the nation's second-largest teachers' union, endorsed toughening teacher standards.
She explained later that she was taking part in another panel, on teacher standards.
They haven't funded our program to demand more accountability from schools, to increase teacher standards, to provide after-school and summer school care".
After years of debate among academics and politicians over how to raise teacher standards, the problem is being solved by the practitioners.
Still, Arthur Levine, president of Teachers College at Columbia University, said the proposal would give impetus to about 39 states that are now considering some form of tougher teacher standards.
The problem presents an interesting set of circumstances for Mr. Levy, a former member of the Board of Regents, who was instrumental in helping Mr. Mills raise statewide academic and teacher standards.
Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "Heads are expected to judge against objectives that are set but also against teacher standards, drawn up by the government.
The roundtable was told, however, that the government's new teacher standards require teachers to demonstrate they can plan out-of-class activities to "consolidate and extend the knowledge and understanding pupils have acquired".
