In the current discussion about improving education no one much questions the given of traditional school. This paper challenges that approach to meeting the nation's goals. We argue that success require a 'split screen' approach, incorporating innovation as well as improvement.
The proper incorporation of IT into school learning requires both a redesign of schools and of the system. Recommendations are made for states and the federal government.
System-level reforms like standards, accountability, choice and chartering make it more necessary and more possible for schools to succeed with learning. But these reforms do not by themselves affect achievement. Success in the effort at improvement requires capitalizing now on the system-level changes with a major effort to create new forms of school and schooling.
