Edu-Beach Reading

If you’re looking for a biography to round out your summer reading, Rick Kahlenberg’s “Tough Liberal” is about as good as you can do. In typical Kahlenberg fashion it’s 3 yards and a cloud of dust stuff, but it walks through the life and influence of education reform legend Al Shanker more thoroughly than ever before. Absolutely must-reading. Got hope? Karin Chenoweth, formerly of the WaPo now at the Ed Trust writes-up case studies of highly performing high challenge schools in “It’s Being Done.” Whatever you think of the high poverty schools debate, you should check this out. And, a new entry in the school choice debate from Cato — surprise! — argues that school choice works. But, if you’re looking for a primer from the pro-choice camp, this is it, Herbert Walberg covers a lot of ground.