Improving Student Achievement

Improving Student Achievement: Reforms that Work expands on the first volume in the Milken Family Foundation series on education policy Talented Teachers: The Essential Force for Improving Student Achievement. The series explains to policymakers parents business leaders and teachers the importance of teacher quality in increasing student achievement. This volume is based primarily on the proceedings from the 2004 Milken National Education Conference (NEC) which was held in Washington D.C. in May 2004. Reform of any kind is an arduous process. It requires forward thinking hard work collaboration and commitment on the part of teachers administrators policy leaders and other supporters of the endeavor. Education reform in particular can be especially difficult due to the many ingrained features of our current K-12 system; however it is vital to learn from our past mistakes and break the cycle of failed efforts in order to fix the system that is the lifeblood of our country''s future success. These proceedings provide insights into some of those past efforts as well as some of the current initiatives that provide optimism and hope in schools across the country. student achievement by embracing reforms that work.