"Dick Elmore guides us to a clear, common sense strategy for linking educational policy and instructional change. He wants standards, incentives and professional supports that add up to a coherent system because '. . . teachers have to feel that there is some compelling reason for them to practice differently, with the best direct evidence being that students learn better. . .' Now that's the heart of the matter." -- Sandra Feldman, President Emeritus, American Federation of Teachers

"In my work with policymakers and practitioners over the past decade I've drawn repeatedly upon these Elmore essays. This volume will now find its way into my courses on education policy." -- Robert B. Schwartz, Former President, Achieve, Inc. and Lecturer, Harvard Graduate School of Education

"Professor Elmore takes on many of the toughest education issues: improving teaching, taking programs to scale, managing performance accountability. His thoughtful analyses offer deep understanding and some hope for our future." -- Marshall S. Smith, Director, Education Program, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Former Undersecretary of Education

Richard F. Elmore is the Gregory Anrig Professor of Educational Leadership at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a senior research fellow at the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE), a group of universities engaged in research on state and local educational policy, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Education. He has previously held positions with the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and the U.S. Office of Education.