Eventually purchased copies of this title for a professional book club at my school. It prompted wonderful conversation, but was not always as tuned in to the realities of urban education as our staff would have liked to see.

Being an elementary school teacher, I was pretty up to date on most of the concerning issues discussed in this book. While much of this book provided information that most educators and perhaps the general public are familiar with, there were some interesting points made, While there are many school districts around the country that do not perform well, there are also many that do. It would have been nice for the book to have highlighted some of those districts more and discussed what occurs there that could be implemented elsewhere.

Mr. Duncan's book lays out his life's work in a easy-to-read and understand format. His 'Race to the Top' (Obama Administration) program is simple: incentivizing teachers so that kids learn better, more, frequently.

Thanks for the ARC.

Memorable passages:

Here was a young black kid who represented the best of what we had on the South Side, and what did he get for being the best? Nothing. He had no chance in life. None. All because, unlike me, he came up on the wrong side of Forty-Seventh street. Those ten blocks changed everything.

I’ve devoted my life and career to helping kids. I’ve tried to make the American educational system better functioning and more honest. For me this work has been all about closing the achievement gap between where I grew up and where Calvin grew up. It’s been about trying to erase the Forty-Seventh Street divide, about closing the distance between those ten blocks. In America, there’s no reason that a kid born in one place should not have the same chances and opportunities as a kid born in another. This work has not been easy. I have seen the lies challenged at many turns, but they survive. They persist.

Nearly all the lies had to do with money and where power is concentrated, not with education.

I’ve had the privilege to see more great schools across America than maybe anyone else. Each one had its own story, but this is what they all had in common: they found ways to serve their children and their community and to make their students feel special and valued. I can’t provide data that proves that having a veterinary clinic in a high school leads to higher graduation rates, or that handing out 16,000 pounds of free food every week leads to better student achievement, but I know that they do.

One of the reason people don’t realize how much money is spent on education is that the federal government accounts of only 10-15 percent of our $600billion in annual education spending: the rest if covered by states and municipalities. The federal portion pays for aid tat Department of Education grants to the states, as well as the cost of running the department. In the context of the federal budget, this amount is middle of the pack - about $65billion a year, give or take. For comparison, in 2008, Department of Agriculture got $91.9billion, the Department of Housing and Urban Development got $49.7billion and the State Department got a merger $17.7billion.

Unlike, with No Child Left Behind, which used sticks to punish states for not meeting goals, we would only use carrots. This program even had a nifty name: Race to the Top.

As I look back I wonder, Have we succeeded? The truth is we won’t know until the kids who are now in fourth and fifth grades start going to college. If that group needs significantly less remediation and has better critical thinking skills, then we’ll be on the right path to reforming American education - and it is a path.

“Our schools were beautifully designed to meet exactly their intended purpose, which was to prepare the bulk of kids for assembly-line world in factories while also picking a small number of kids to be elite that managed those factory workers. This is a completely outmoded way of thinking about education.”

In other words, the goal of great teaching is not to teach but to have kids learn. I recently saw a comic strip at a graduate teaching course at Relay Graduate School of Education in Newark that perfectly illustrated the distinction between teaching and learning. In it, a little boy says to his friend, “I just taught my dog how to whistle.” The friend looks at the dog, who is not whistling, and asks, “Well, why isn’t he whistling?” The boy explains, “I said I taught him, I didn’t say he learned how to do it!”

Toward the end of my conversation with Mrs. Gonney-Buckner at the Lewis School of Excellence (a PK-8 Chicago Public School in the West Side neighborhood of North Austin; one of 31 Chicago schools managed by the Academy of Urban School Leadership, a non-profit organization that serves regular schools), I asked her outright: “For you, how does your school work?”

“Can I tell you a story about one of our students?.....His name is Gabriel. He’s what is called a diverse learner: he was behind two or three years and had an IEP - an individualized education program.....His baby brother, our pre-K baby, he was shot two days ago. And Gabriel hasn’t been to school since......Now when he does come back here, bam! we have a plan. As soon as he hits the ground, we’ll have our counselor on deck.....The security guard will have hi for the first two periods. I’ll have him third and fourth. The lunch lady will sit with him in the cafeteria. And so on. He’ll have someone with him at all times that day and for several days following. His classmates will know he needs support. This is what wrap-around looks like! If you don’t do these things, then you lose kids - end of story - and we can’t afford to lose Gabriel. Think of what he’ll be to the world - a boy who at ten got up at four to go to work in the dark of night so he could take care of his siblings! He had the courage to go out and ask strangers for a chance. He has CEO potential, and yet he’s a below-grade-level black kid with special needs that some other people would have just passed over without a second thought. Not us. Not here. How do schools work? By finding their Gabriels and running towards them.”

How can I change the way I think about education? Think of your local public schools, including your state’s public community colleges and research universities, as your personal property - because they ar. Their quality affects you, your children, your home’s value, your community, your state, and your country. No other public investment is more closely tied to the American Dream than the quality of education in your community.
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Geared more so towards stakeholders, as opposed to those of us who work directly in the school systems. It appeared to be more so biographical in nature, as opposed to ideas and suggestions moving forward. However, it still makes for an interesting read.

This is a book that deserves a wide reading by the consumers of America’s education system, parents, community members and other activists.

I’m an educator; I’ve seen kids like Calvin, and they were handicapped. But their handicaps did not arise from the lack of rigor of their educations. “This ain’t good?” The question will haunt me.

I’ve always had a lot of respect for Arne Duncan, unlike the current inheritor of his department. I appreciated the reminder that *good* teachers want to call out *bad* teachers. Unlike most of the reviewers, I do agree that merit pay should be linked to performance, and for better or worse, performance is measured by achievement, i.e. test scores.

This seemed more a biography of the man rather than explaining how we can fix our schools. I expected more despite his time a Sec Or Education and not really doing anything.

This is a history of Duncan's career and efforts to improve education in America. There is a lot to recommend in his thoughts, but I think the reliance on standardized testing is not great. Title is a bit of a misnomer.

Working in schools as a special education aide, I knew much of the information the author covered, but this book was well written and I think that it offers insight to those that do not work for a school.

How Schools Work by Arne Duncan is a fascinating read! He shares his path to education along with his roles in Chicago and the White House. You will learn about some of the people who he has come to know as they champion for kids and their future. Through his honest and easy to read writing style (which feels like a conversation), you hear his voice shouting the belief he has in children. He feels kids are ‘our kids’ and with love, support and high expectations they all can find success. He also identifies what makes schools successful. This is a book I recommend and will share with colleagues!

This title was provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

As an outsider to the education system and as a parent, I thought Duncan's book How Schools Work was a fascinating read. I disagree with his conclusion linking test scores to merit pay but the rest of the book was well worth the read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

As a public school teacher, I found Duncan's book to be fascinating, even though I disagree with a lot of his philosophy. It was interesting to see his rationale for his descions and opinions. For example, Duncan firmly believes in linking test scores to teacher evaluations and merit pay. You'll be hard pressed to find a public school teacher who agrees; this book certainly won't change minds, but it at least gives him a chance to defend himself.
*Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

As an educator, I was excited to read Arne Duncan's reflection on the education system. Much of what was written I felt I already knew, however, I think this is a book for those not living and breathing the education system. This is for the stakeholders that make decisions about schools, that may not have set foot in a school since their own days in the system. Worth the read. Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I, myself, am a high school science teacher, so I was very excited to read this. Honestly, there isn't much in here that I hadn't already known. I think that may be because I already have the inside scoop about what's happening with the school system where as most people may find this an insightful read. I do wish there was a broader look at education around the nation rather than focusing on small specific parts. Granted, it was heartbreaking to read. I think most people do need to educate themselves on this matter because this is our future we are raising up! Thank you net galley and simon and schuster of the read.

A necessary read about how the US is failing our youngest and how the system still benefits the adults at the expense of the children. Low bars that when reached still leave our kids woefully unprepared for life. A quick read from the former Secretary of Education who knows firsthand about the skeletons in the closet.
Thank you Simon and Schuster, Arne Duncan and Netgalley for the ARC for my honest review.

Thank You Net Galley for the free ARC,

Some truths, much oversimplification. Nothing we did not already know. I agree, schools could work better. A lot of the evidence in the book comes from Chicago schools, which are probably some with the worst reputation.

Truancy, falling apart schools, poor test scores, lack of materials..all these are true problems, but there is more to it that just throwing money at the perceived problem. Chicago has addressed some of those problems by closing schools, adding magnet schools, adding teachers, etc. However, parents who can, still move their kids out of the CPS system, enrollment declined by 10 000 students in 2017.

Schools reflect our society as a microcosm. Schools in socioeconomic areas that are well off, do well. Schools in the poor parts of town, do not. In a way, we are more segregated than ever. Here is an example from my home-town:

US News and World Report Best School in state : 3% minority; 3% free and reduced lunch N/A ELL

My school : 71% minority 70% free and reduced lunch Over 45% ELL

Then we are shocked when the test scores differ. Let's switch teachers and see what happens...

Why are we comparing these schools? What we should be doing is allocated resources differently
and work on helping win the war on poverty.