In an interview on NAESP Radio, Yong Zhao, distinguished professor at Michigan State University and founding director of the Center for Teaching and Technology, says America’s public education system is well-positioned to produce students with the skills needed to compete in an era of increased technology and globalization. Zhao suggests that current reform efforts, such as calls for increased standardization and accountability, misinterpret the strengths of America’s public schools and fail to address the needs of students living in an era of globalization.
Zhao also says that to achieve meaningful school reforms, America needs a law or a political environment that will encourage education leaders to innovate rather than increase standardization, and elementary school principals play a critical role in ensuring that reform efforts meet the needs of America's students.
Research validates Zhao’s comments by indicating that elementary principals are catalysts for learning and for shaping the long-term impact of school reform, and it is imperative that principals’ voices and perspectives are included in the discussions about America’s public education system that are currently taking place at the federal level.
Listen to the full interview with Zhao on NAESP Radio. We invite you to leave any comments about the interview or education reform in general right here.