Stop torturing our children with more schooling
For educational reform to succeed, we need the rigor of the discipline that standardized tests brings to the class room, but let us also give them- our kids- a chance to dream and be creative.

I know something about education having been been professor at several universities for more than 3 decades. Let us first look at it from a common sense perspective: What cannot be achieved in 9 months will not be magically achieved in 10 months.
Educational reform will work only when these 3 key things are in place: a good curriculum, good teachers and good support at home. The reform does not address this last issue, which President Obama correctly points out is important. My suggestion is that schools provide after hours “tutoring” to students whose home environments are not conducive to learning.

And please, do not make standardized test scores the holy grail of educational reform. These tests scores comprise only one aspect of learning. It does not measure creativity. Indian K-12 education, which I know from personal experience, is evaluated solely on standard test scores. There is little creativity.