Toward that purpose, this report dwells on the successes in educational change in urban settings around the country. The focus of the report is less on the reforms themselves, but more on how the barriers to change were overcome. Recommendations Focus energy for change on individual schools and encourage the development of charter sites that are not under strict local or state control. On the other hand though, continue to stress state standards to identify schools who are not performing at an acceptable level. Identified schools should be challenged to reach more advanced levels or be closed.
Leadership is essential.
Great resources and attention should be given to leadership development and the employing of visionaries in our schools. Higher education, business, and educational foundations must work together to reinvent the educational administration and leadership programs for Georgia. Although we did not dwell on this in the case studies, it was one of the common threads identified during the interviews. Parents must be a part of the change process and not excluded from it. Giving parents an option can help.