Lazear, Edward P. (Ed.). (2002). Education in the Twenty-first Century.

	Lazear, Edward P. (Ed.). (2002). Education in the Twenty-first Century. Stanford, CA: Hoover Institution Press. Pp. 192 $15 (Paper)     ISBN 0-8179-2892-8 Reviewed by Susan Crichton University of Calgary July 11, 2003 Education in the Twenty-first Century is an excellent collection of essays that considers specifically the future of education in America but is broad enough in scope to be of value outside the American context. While general theories and concepts for educational reform are presented, numerous qualitative and quantitative examples are thoughtfully given with adequate examples and support. The book's stated purpose is to be the first in a series that “… will address major themes associated with long-term trends and public policy formation” (p. vii). It has been organized and published by the Hoover Institution, whose goal is “… to examine issues on education policy, offering ideas defining a free society … [and] recommendations on education policy designed to bring about positive improvement in K-12 education consistent with the founding principles of our free society” (p. vii). Running through this collection is critical attitude toward short-term crisis solutions that tend to ignore the big ideas and seek only quick fixes or pedagogical fads. At the core of this book is a concern for the accumulation of quality human capital to meet the needs and demands of the twenty-first century. The book includes eleven sections. There are two forewords – one from the director of the Hoover Institution, John Raisian, and a second from George Shultz, former U. S. Secretary of State. These are followed by an introduction by Edward Lazear, the book's editor, which summarizes the subsequent chapters. Each contributors' biography is given, and the eight articles that follow are broken into two thematic sections: Education & Income and Education & Society. The complete list of contributors follows: Robert J. Barro, Gary S. Becker, Andrew J. Coulson, Robert E. Hall, Edward P. Lazear, Jennifer Roback Morse, Paul M. Romer, George P. Shultz, Thomas Sowell, and Shelby Steele. In Shultz's foreword, the agenda of the Hoover Institution is analyzed. He explains that it was”… founded to study war, revolution, and peace. Quite obviously, such an agenda must lead to education: education for the citizen, education to understand the causes of war and the imperatives of peace, to know the nature of revolutions, and to be able to cope and earn a living in whatever work you inhabit” (p. ix). Further, Shultz notes that access to this type of education must be available to every child. Essential to the educational experience suggested above is an emphasis on quality, not necessarily quantity, noting that such an opportunity is not currently the status quo, and would be in itself revolutionary: “… probably one-half to two-thirds [of schools] are failing to educate students up to any reasonable standard of adequacy” (p. ix-x). The chapters selected for this book appear predicated on two main points; first, that “… studies by economists over several decades … show the high rate of return to education would be likely to show even higher returns” (p. x); and second, that “Children learn all day long and not only in the classroom” (p. x). These two points lead to three main concerns: “… the recognition of the failures in our schools, the transcendent importance of correcting those problems, and the new opportunities for learning presented by the new technologies…” (p. x). Shultz expands on these points by situating them in the scenario of designing de novo a system of K-12 education. He identifies three things as essential in the new design: (1) “Parents, by and large, care about their children and have a shrewd sense of what is good for them” (p. xi). Therefore, they must be in a position of control in terms of school choice; (2) “Parents know that certain basic skills are essential to reasonable life prospects,” (p. xi) for example, English and a second language; and (3) the ability to understand the language of numbers and to use them is as essential as the understanding and ability to use English. He notes that accountability is critical to achieve these goals, and the Hoover Institution suggests that only through competition and choice will schools ever reach them. The maxim that runs throughout this text is that educational pedagogical fads are dangerous and wasteful, suggesting instead that “… the child comes first; use what works and throw out what fails the child” (p. xvi). Edward Lazear offers a brilliant introduction that summarizes the chapters to follow, linking them clearly to a coherent argument for educational change. His basic premise is “… that education is failing too many of our students” (p. xvii). To support this stance, he offers opinions in the following areas: Education and Growth, focusing on the structure of schools and school funding; Family and Expectations; Policy Issues, questioning if more money is the answer and federal versus local administration; Evaluation of Some Suggested Policy, questioning the value of national exams, technology, accountability; and How Shall We Define Output and Other Policies? The remaining chapters offer considerable qualitative and quantitative data to support the authors' points of views. Gary Becker focuses his paper on the issue of human capital, stating “Technology may be the driver of a modern economy, especially of its high-tech sector, but human capital is certainly its fuel” (p. 3). He notes that “How well companies manage their human capital is a crucial factor in their success” (p. 8) and suggests that options such as distance learning can become “… of crucial importance to the teaching and training process” (p. 8). Robert Hall offers a fascinating global snapshot of the importance of education in terms of individual and national investments, stating “Research has shown a strong relation between education and earnings in virtually every country studied” (p. 25). He notes that education not only raises the learning of an individual but it also increases the nation's productivity. Important for this increase is the existence of a national social infrastructure, based on the rule of law and promoting the “… accumulation of human and physical capital and the achievement of high levels of efficiency. Government enforces laws against thievery, squatting, Mafia activities, and other crimes that divert output from those who create it” (p. 32). Paul Romer focuses on the notion of the redistribution of income to fund school choice. He cites Adam Smith's “invisible hand theorem” (p. 43), which suggests that “By pursuing his own interests … [an individual] promotes that of society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it” (p. 43-44). Romer offers Medicare and Medicaid as potential models for education change, quoting the Roosevelt administration's belief that “A program for the poor is a poor program” (p. 65). Thomas Sowell documents the education of minority children, in his chapter by the same name, noting that in American education “… fashions prevail and evidence is seldom asked or given. And nowhere does this do more harm than in the education of minority children” (p. 79). He explores the rise and fall of Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C., offering it as a model of what happens when the politics of education destroy an effective, site-developed, learning environment. The importance of this chapter is well summed up with the statement “My great fear is that a black child growing up in Harlem will not have as good a chance to rise as people of my generation did, simply because they will not receive as solid an education, in an era when such an education is even more important” (p. 90). Shelby Steele offers a poignant scenario by questioning the type of education musician Charlie Parker might have had if his musical training had been formalized and schooled, noting that “Black students at every age and grade level generally perform worse than all other groups on virtually every academic measure …” (p. 95). He blames this circumstance on an expectation of failure and a lack of agency – the “… ultimate responsibility combined with possession …” (p. 97) for one's life, problems, activities, education, and the like. He continues to discuss the importance of agency among various ethnic and cultural groups. Andrew Coulson calls not for a reform of education but a total rebirth, stating that “… we cannot allow another generation to be sacrificed to our own complacency and lack of vision” (p. 105). He invites us to consider “What … do we expect from our schools?” (p. 106). He cautions that “…pedagogical methods have been chosen for their philosophical pedigrees rather than their demonstrated effectiveness” (p. 110). Coulson cites the effectiveness of Japanese education, noting the role of the juku, which is in essence a second program that supports the public system by assisting students and their parents with their individual needs. He concludes that there are five factors essential for “… a viable educational market: parental choice, direct financial responsibility for parents, freedom for educators, competition between schools, and the profit motive for schools” (p. 136). Implementing all of these would allow for major changes in the delivery of education. The final essay, Competing Visions of the Child, the Family, and the School by Jennifer Morse, states that “The most important role that parents play is to build a relationship with their child. The transfer of resources from parents to children is a by product of this primary job of creating a relationship. The school's role in this scenario is to act as a partner or assistant, but not as a substitute for the parents” (p. 147). It is from that stance that Morse questions preschool, home school, and the universal breakfast program. She recommends the politically correct position of funding “non educational services” (p. 150) and warns of both the “academic crowding-out effect” and the “family crowding-out effect” (p. 151). Using the examples of the contact starved eastern European orphans, she discusses the “failure to thrive syndrome” (p. 152) within an education system and community connecting it all to the importance of social capital (p. 171). This book resonated with my views on many levels. It supports my personal observations and beliefs honed from twenty-five years teaching in K-12 schools in the United States, Australia and Canada. My only concern is that a 2002 book still refers to the Soviet Union (p. 33) in examples. With no reservations, I can highly recommend this book. About the Book Author Edward P. Lazear , senior fellow at the Hoover Institution since 1985, is also the Jack Steele Parker Professor of Human Resources, Management and Economics at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. About the Reviewer Susan Crichton Assistant Professor ED T 602 Faculty of Education University of Calgary 2500 University Dr. NW Calgary, AB T2N 1N4