--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a country puts its entire focus on…" description: "\"If a country puts its entire focus on making sure that the education system improves, then that's the kind of progress that you can see.\" — Michelle Rhee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/michelle-rhee-22574_country_if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-ma_907303.jpg" --- # If a country puts its entire focus on making sure that the… ![“If a country puts its entire focus on making sure that the education system improves, then that's the kind of progress that you can see.” quote by Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/michelle-rhee-22574_country_if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-ma_907303.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/michelle-rhee-22574_country_if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-ma_907303.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/michelle-rhee-22574_country_if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-ma_907303.jpg) > “If a country puts its entire focus on making sure that the education system improves, then that's the kind of progress that you can see.” [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing on education improvement yields visible societal progress. **In simple terms:** Education drives visible change. Key Takeaway Invest in schools. Themes education progress society policy development Mood optimistic determined Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - school reform - teacher training - curriculum design - community outreach Key Concepts human capital social equity long‑term growth Questions to Reflect On - What metrics best show educational success? - How can reforms be equitable? A Different Perspective Improvement may be uneven across regions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Education system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-system/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) ## Related quotes > [Educating all of our children must be one of our most urgent priorities. We all know that education, more than anything else, improves our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/educating-all-of-our-children-must-be-one-of-our-most-urgent/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [When it comes to our children there really is nothing we wouldn't do to make sure they get the education they deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-williamson/when-it-comes-to-our-children-there-really-is-nothing-we-wouldn-t-do/) [Gavin Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-williamson/) > [Sure education is valuable in any respect regardless of what field you are in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marv-levy/sure-education-is-valuable-in-any-respect-regardless-of-what-field/) [Marv Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marv-levy/) > [When you compare individuals, rather than countries, you find that education improves both income and the quality of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-banerjee/when-you-compare-individuals-rather-than-countries-you-find-that/) [Abhijit Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-banerjee/) > [There is a growing evidence that arts education improves student learning and thereby produces better citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-skorton/there-is-a-growing-evidence-that-arts-education-improves-student/) David J. Skorton > [Counsel and conversation is a good second education, that improves all the virtue and corrects all the vice of the former, and of nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hyde-1st-earl-of-clarendon/counsel-and-conversation-is-a-good-second-education-that-improves-all/) [Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hyde-1st-earl-of-clarendon/) > [You don't know where a sport can take you, so I want to make sure that I have an education behind me in case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/you-don-t-know-where-a-sport-can-take-you-so-i-want-to-make-sure-that/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [Education reform has as its main purpose to make sure that the education delivered is of quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-pena-nieto/education-reform-has-as-its-main-purpose-to-make-sure-that-the/) [Enrique Pena Nieto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrique-pena-nieto/) > [ I think that one thing that people are missing is that we are never going to be able to fix this country's \[American\] economy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/i-think-that-one-thing-that-people-are-missing-is-that-we-are-never/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [I think people don't talk enough about education and what we need to do in our public education system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/i-think-people-don-t-talk-enough-about-education-and-what-we-need-to/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [If the national economy improves, Chicago will improve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-l-evans/if-the-national-economy-improves-chicago-will-improve/) [Charles L. Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-l-evans/) > [We all know business financial performance improves when more women are in senior levels of management and leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-brooke/we-all-know-business-financial-performance-improves-when-more-women/) [Beth Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-brooke/) > [We're starting to see, as the economy improves, that the unemployment rate among veterans and military spouses - we're seeing some improvement in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-re-starting-to-see-as-the-economy-improves-that-the-unemployment/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I've seen people be effective, even among local teams, by offering something that improves wellbeing in a small way - people who get passionate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/i-ve-seen-people-be-effective-even-among-local-teams-by-offering/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [A certain alloy of expediency improves the gold of morality and makes it wear all the longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-marquis/a-certain-alloy-of-expediency-improves-the-gold-of-morality-and-makes/) [Don Marquis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-marquis/) ## More by Michelle Rhee > [In schools where parent involvement is greater, you do have higher achievement levels and better functioning, better performing schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/in-schools-where-parent-involvement-is-greater-you-do-have-higher/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [My grandfather was a teacher, my grandmother on my mom's side, four of my aunts, my sister-in-law, my best friend. So I've always, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/my-grandfather-was-a-teacher-my-grandmother-on-my-mom-s-side-four-of/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [There’s a belief now that the problem with our schools is parents, that if we just had better parents we would have better performing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/there-s-a-belief-now-that-the-problem-with-our-schools-is-parents/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [That should be the goal, is that every kid in every neighborhood, despite whatever challenges they may face, are getting a great education in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/that-should-be-the-goal-is-that-every-kid-in-every-neighborhood/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [Poverty is so significant that we can't expect to overcome the impacts of poverty in schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/poverty-is-so-significant-that-we-can-t-expect-to-overcome-the/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [If you grew up in a lower-income community, or less well-off, the belief is that the way to change that circumstance is through education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/if-you-grew-up-in-a-lower-income-community-or-less-well-off-the/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [We need to identify the least effective or ineffective teachers and for those people we need to either quickly accelerate their practice or move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/we-need-to-identify-the-least-effective-or-ineffective-teachers-and/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [ I think that one thing that people are missing is that we are never going to be able to fix this country's \[American\] economy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/i-think-that-one-thing-that-people-are-missing-is-that-we-are-never/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [I believe that the teachers unions are doing exactly what they're supposed to be doing. They were designed to be professional organizations that protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/i-believe-that-the-teachers-unions-are-doing-exactly-what-they-re/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [We've lost our competitive spirit. We've become so obsessed with making kids feel good about themselves that we've lost sight of building the skills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/we-ve-lost-our-competitive-spirit-we-ve-become-so-obsessed-with/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [Standardized tests are an indicator of the kind of service taxpayers are receiving - and whether schools, educators and policymakers are doing their jobs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/standardized-tests-are-an-indicator-of-the-kind-of-service-taxpayers/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [We are always going to put the best interests of kids above the rights, privileges and priorities of adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/we-are-always-going-to-put-the-best-interests-of-kids-above-the/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [We need to do everything we can to ensure every single child has an effective teacher every day, which means we need to identify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/we-need-to-do-everything-we-can-to-ensure-every-single-child-has-an/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [I'd rather deal with anger than apathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/i-d-rather-deal-with-anger-than-apathy/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) > [The notion about education has changed and that now it’s sort of much more aligned with, “Well, schools can’t combat poverty. We can’t possibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/the-notion-about-education-has-changed-and-that-now-it-s-sort-of-much/) [Michelle Rhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) [Explore all 27 Michelle Rhee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If a country puts its entire focus on making sure that the education system improves, then that's the kind of progress that you can see.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelle Rhee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-making-sure-that-the-education/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-making-sure-that-the-education/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/michelle-rhee-22574_country_if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-ma_907303.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/michelle-rhee-22574_country_if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-ma_907303.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/michelle-rhee-22574_country_if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-ma_907303.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a country puts its entire focus on making sure that the education system improves, then that's the kind…” — Michelle Rhee", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michelle Rhee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rhee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If a country puts its entire...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-making-sure-that-the-education/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rhee/if-a-country-puts-its-entire-focus-on-making-sure-that-the-education/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```