Introduction
Does the U.S. have national goals?
US students are not as good as we think
When did things begin to go bad?
Teachers, the vital ingredient
Precious minutes
Discipline issues are a major problem
The success equation for children
How should schools be organized?
Learning to read
When should formal education begin?
Who's going to fix it?
Legal issues : the threat of lawsuits weighs heavy
Labor unions
The Massachusetts miracle and the Maryland Commission
Overhead, a constant threat
National impact
What changes must be made to reform the system?