Americans basked this summer in the World Cup victory of their women's soccer team. The grassroots movement for women's rights in the 1960s led to the passage in 1972 of Title IX, which mandated equality for women in school sports. It was a radical idea, and there was great resistance. But perseverance produced steady progress that culminated in the profound social change that the World Cup title symbolizes. There is a solution for every problem plaguing American education.
Successful schools dot the landscape from Maine to New Mexico, Florida to Oregon.
We have programs and policies in place to improve all our schools. What we lack, what we're still waiting for, are committed, persistent individuals in each school to lead the way.