“A historian tries to understand what happened, why it happened, what was the context, who did what, and what assumptions led them to act as they did. A historian customarily displays a certain diffidence about trying to influence events, knowing… — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
“Our schools will not improve if we continue to focus only on reading and mathematics while ignoring the other studies that are essential elements… — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
We will continue to chase rainbows unless we recognize that they are rainbows and there is no pot of gold at the end of… — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
When you succeed at keeping almost everyone in school, you must figure out ways to educate everyone you keep in school. — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
“The history of education is a seemingly endless parade of “new ideas” that are actually old ideas renamed.” — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
We should totally ban for-profit charters. For-profit's first obligation is to its stockholders, not to its children. — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
“By picking a few winners, the Race to the Top competition abandoned the traditional idea of equality of educational opportunity, where federal aid favored… — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
“The reformers define the purpose of education as preparation for global competitiveness, higher education, or the workforce. They view students as “human capital” or… — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
“While I have never been a member of any union, I was a friend of Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers,… — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
In DC, policymakers think that if we can only have high enough standards, tough enough tests, and hold people accountable, we can close the… — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
“The corporate reform movement has co-opted progressive themes and language in the service of radical purposes. Advocating the privatization of public education is deeply… — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
American Education has a long history of infatuation with fads and ill-considered ideas. The current obsession with making our schools work like a business… — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
The greatest obstacle to those who hope to reform American education is complacency. — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
“Social scientists generally agree that students’ families (especially family income, which determines advantages and opportunity) have an even bigger impact on student performance than… — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
The ladder was there, from the gutter to the university, and for those stalwart enough to ascend it, the schools were a boon and… — Diane Ravitch Copy Share Image
