Some education reformers contend that elected local school boards are anachronisms that maintain the status quo rather than change agents bent on ushering U.S. education toward a brighter future. Their supporters argue that they embody democracy, give voice and power to the local community, and are more reliable and trustworthy than any other school-governance structure.
Wherever you may stand on this issue, please join some thoughtful leaders for a lively debate about the role of school boards in today’s public-education system—and in tomorrow’s.
Panelists
 | Christopher S. Barclay, President, Montgomery County Board of Education, Maryland |
 | Anne L. Bryant, Executive Director, National School Boards Association |
 | Chester E. Finn, Jr., President, Thomas B. Fordham Institute |
 | Gene I. Maeroff, Founding Director, Hechinger Institute, Teachers College, Columbia University and author of School Boards in America: A Flawed Exercise in Democracy |
Moderator
 | Michael Petrilli, Executive Vice President, Thomas B. Fordham Institute |