Dr. Vineyard need not worry

Retired Oklahoma educator Edwin Vineyard is worried that politicians are "undertaking wholesale changes in our educational system, its structure, and its academic standards and requirements without consultation with knowledgeable professionals."

Are we about to embark on changes without looking at research relevant to these decisions? Although we have an aversion to looking at practices elsewhere, especially internationally, we are nevertheless constantly comparing our student product and test scores. Should we not also look at their practices as well?

As one of those "education reformers" Dr. Vineyard is so leery of, I want to assure him that we have in fact undertaken a review of the international evidence and are proceeding accordingly.