Often while putting this Ezine together I’ve felt like I might be a voice crying in the desert. After all, who is fighting for dramatic re-structuring of our education industry? NCLB merely parrots what’s already in place. We read releases about the importance of lifelong learning, but who is actually promoting that within America’s power structure? Should we just throw in the towel and walk away, thinking, well, these were good ideas but the time just wasn’t right?

Then I picked up Chris Whittle’s new book Crash Course. Here we have the CEO of Edison Schools, former head of the controversial Channel One TV news operation for schools, saying essentially the same thing. Ah, it feels good to be in Amen corner!

What we’ve been touting in this Ezine is the need for transformation of our nation’s school system. Actually “systems” would be a better description because we don’t have one or even a few systems in this country. And essentially every system is pretty much like every other system. Transformation is desperately needed.

We are trying to help that process along. In these issues you’ll find descriptions of new tools that hold promise to bring that transformation along. We provide ideas from such people as Dorinne Davis and Peter Kline touting theories that could further impact learning for the better. We thank Zulma Prieto for keeping us on track, that whatever changes are made need to affect those least able to afford choices. Finally, we provide links to Web sites and reviews of books that can pave your way to a better understanding of what direction we need to go.

We don’t expect or want everyone to agree with us. We want dialog. We want counter ideas. We want you and others like you to begin to take an interest in what’s necessary to maintain and improve our free society. Check us out, and hopefully you’ll move along with us. Educational transformation is our slogan. Make it yours!