That’s the beauty of thinking small. Grand schemes have their place, but thousands of small efforts can be just as effective. In almost every state there are dozens of effective schools modeling various types of reforms. Fed-up parents, energetic reform leaders and teachers, a handful of pioneering foundations and small donors are making a difference. (I’m a fan of faith-based Core Knowledge, classical and Great Books schools and support full-ride scholarships at several). It’s frustrating to see wide-scale reform blocked by the usual suspects, but signs of hope – one child at a time – really are everywhere (and this blog provides daily testimony).