In this week's Gadfly, I take a look at the massive School Improvement Fund, the federal government's primary tool for funding and directing school turnarounds.
Though I'm opposed to the burgeoning field of school turnarounds, I'm particularly concerned about this program. That is, even if you don't agree with my formulation (closures + new starts + replications instead of turnarounds) and believe there is hope for turnarounds, there's still plenty of reason to be concerned about the efficacy of this program.
--Andy Smarick