How would an entrepreneur reform education?

Education Activist Donald Nielsen to speak at Heritage Foundation May 12th

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May 08, 2015, 08:00 ET

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Next Tuesday, May 12^th, former Seattle School Board president Donald Nielsen will present a roadmap for reforming public education in the Lehrman Auditorium at the Heritage Foundation from 12pm to 1pm.

According to Nielsen the way to improve America's schools is to first work on the people issues: teaching, leadership and governance. To achieve that change has to come from state legislative action, not from local school boards, nor from federal governance. Only state legislative action can empower school administrators to make choices in the interests of their students.

His recent book, Every School: One Citizen's Guide to Transforming Education (http://www.everyschoolthebook.com/), is about fundamentally changing our public education system so it works for every school and every student. In the book, Nielsen examines the current system, societal changes that have affected schools, and defines the mission of schools. He goes on to describe three specific areas that need to be revised if public education is to work for every child: teaching, leadership and governance. Finally, Nielsen outlines specific changes to state law that would impact these three areas.

"Don Nielsen provides unusually clear insight into the complex issues that inhibit high educational attainment of our public school systems," says Allen S. Grossman, Professor of Management Practice (Ret.) at Harvard Business School.

Donald Nielsen is a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute and a successful entrepreneur. He and a partner started a company in 1969 that became Hazleton Corporation and grew it to a listing on the NYSE in 1983. Since retiring in 1992, Nielsen has devoted most of his energy to public education, serving eight years on the Seattle School Board and working with universities, education-oriented non-profits and school districts. For more information visit http://www.everyschoolthebook.com/.

SOURCE Discovery Institute