The Lure of “Magic Bullets” in Reforming Schools

I doubt if I am the only one who gets fatigued from the constant use of the phrase “magic bullet” in school reform. Most often the words disparagingly describe reforms that once pumped up hopes for solving serious school problems and then either missed the target or caused collateral damage. Elderly readers may remember “Career Education” in the 1970s; “restructuring schools” in the 1980s; “systemic school reform” in the 1990s. Middle-aged readers may recall parental “choice” of schools and vouchers in the 1990s when John Chubb and Terry Moe pronounced it as a “panacea.” And since the 2000s, champions of “magic bullets” have touted Common Core curriculum standards, teacher pay-for-performance plans, charter schools, Teach for America, and principals as instructional leaders as ways of turning America’s failing schools into winners. I could go on but the point of very smart people believing in one or more “magic bullets” that turned out eventually to be duds raises a few obvious…