Trapped in Mediocrity: Why Our Schools Aren't World-Class and What We Can Do About It

by Katherine Baird

Our students aren’t learning, we’re falling behind other countries, and many of our college graduates are even functionally illiterate. We offer our kids a weak and poorly thought out curriculum; too many teachers do not make good use of classroom time and follow lesson plans that are superficial and repetitive; almost all state governments define “proficiency” at low levels of competency; and because kids with very uneven skills populate a classroom, teachers spend considerable time on review before introducing new material. This dismal picture is tempered by the fact that the hard work and dedication of countless teachers and administrators means that many students get an excellent education. But it doesn’t temper it much. As a group, even our top students are not as strong as are those in a large majority of other rich countries.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Katherine Baird, an economist, starts by clearly spelling out how our educational system is trapped in mediocrity. Yet, she doesn’t just expose where we are. She identifies the steps to get out of the trap. We need to (1) dramatically reform our education’s governance structure, (2) establish high expectations for all students, (3) provide adequate support to meet those expectations, and (4) introduce strong incentives for students to work hard in school so they do their part in meeting higher standards. Clearly, it isn’t as simple as it sounds, but Baird carefully examines each factor that has led to the current state in education and then spells out how a combination of policies will weaken the forces that keep our schools mediocre and instead make them ones worth copying

243 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Starr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike some of the other education books I've read recently, this one is steeped in data. Facts, figures, tight arguments...brought me back to my grad school days.

Baird argues that we need to nationalize school standards in an effort to raise the bar, as opposed to lowering standards as is the trend right now. At the same time, schools should actually be able to exercise more autonomy in how they meet those standards.

This book definitely stands well above the ruckus, so the arguments and recommendations are global and not very specific. You won't read dozens of personal anecdotes or suggestions on how to make your child's school experience better; instead, you're going to get charts and lots and lots of data on how to make everyone's school experience better. Surprisingly, the book is not dry but engaged me well over the past two days. Highly recommended.

P.S. The book cover is atrocious, and I honestly expected a junky book. Needs a re-design to accurately reflect the gravity of the subject.

[Rebecca The Files of Mrs. E, · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information regarding our educational system and how it compares to other counties. Baird looks at the costs, results, and consequences of the way we run our schools and the low standards we hold our students to. As an economist she looks at the hard data not just opinions or anecdotal evidence which is not always the case when it comes to education books. While the book is slightly out of date with the advent of Common Core, it is still relevant as not that much has changed.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not enough about what is needed to improve schools.