Programs and policies that can hurt students and learning abound. School accountability plans, educator evaluation programs, standardization of curriculum and assessment, contradictory policy-maker expectations, and influences from international testing programs are just some of the current issues that exert pressure on public school leaders via rhetoric and education reform policy proposals. School leaders need to be able to make accurate judgments about the ethics and efficacy of education reforms so they can decide whether they must defend students and educators from practices and policies built on nothing more than rhetoric, junk-science, and anti-intellectual ideology, or whether they should support a proposal or program founded on evidence of positive outcomes.

Foreword by Joshua StarrAcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorINTRODUCTION Creatively Comply! Reform Defined Purposes Audience Framing the Issues Organization of the Book Features of the Book Why I Wrote This BookPart I. Reform CritiqueCHAPTER 1. ETHICAL CONTEXT OF EDUCATION REFORM AND COMPLIANCE Reform Ethics Within the Context of Education Reform The Ethical Dilemma Ethical Responsibility Leadership Take-Away: EthicsCHAPTER 2. CREATIVE COMPLIANCE Creative Leadership Pathways Seven Creative Compliance Strategies Compliance Entrepreneur Failure Is an Option Leadership Take-Away: Creative ComplianceCHAPTER 3. REFRAMING REFORM Reframe It! Framing Reform A Framework for Critique Ethical Evidence Now What? and Creative Compliance Leadership Take-Away: Framing ReformPart II. Reform Case StudiesCHAPTER 4. CASE STUDY 1: REFRAMING RIGOR Origins of Rigor What Is Rigor? Redefining Rigor Complexity Versus Difficulty Goldilocks View of Rigor Complex Curriculum Standards Rigor in the Context of Democracy Functional Fixedness and Knowledge Reproduction So What? Understanding the Big Picture of Rigor Ethical Considerations Creative Compliance and Now What? Leadership Take-Away: RigorCHAPTER 5. CASE STUDY 2: USING OR ABUSING STANDARDIZED TEST RESULTS? Large-Scale Use Three-Legged Stool of Validity Standards of Testing So What? Understanding the Big Picture of Assessment Use Ethical Considerations Creative Compliance: Now What? Leadership Take-Away: Testing UseCHAPTER 6. CASE STUDY 3: MERIT PAY Money for Merit Theoretical Frameworks for Merit Pay Previous Experience With Merit Pay in Education Profit Over People So What? Understanding the Big Picture of Merit Pay Ethical Considerations Creative Compliance: Now What? Leadership Take-Away: Merit PayPart III. Promising PracticesCHAPTER 7. CASE STUDY 4: RECESS OF THE MIND Walking in Their Shoes Options for Recess of the Mind Move It! Recess of the Mind at Work S.W.A.G Mindfulness in Nanuet Well-Being in White Plains Charting a Course in Pennsylvania So What? Understanding the Big Picture of Recess of the Mind Creative Compliance Leadership Take-Away: Recess of the MindCHAPTER 8. CASE STUDY 5: PROBLEM- AND PROJECT-BASED LEARNING Importance of Active Learning So What? Understanding the Big Picture of PBL Creative Compliance Leadership Take-Away: PBLCHAPTER 9. FINAL ISSUES Spencer Returns Top 10 Crack the Code and Act!ReferencesIndex