Post Event Summary
When it comes to reforming America's public schools, we hear a lot about what educational leaders cannot do. Indeed, contracts, laws, and regulations assuredly handcuff school and system leaders, and, claimed Rick Hess of AEI during his Bradley Lecture on Tuesday night, education reformers often respond with policy fixes.

Hess argued that rather than focusing exclusively on using education policy to achieve meaningful and sustainable improvement in US education, we should dramatically rethink leadership in K–12. He explained that leaders actually have far more freedom to transform teaching, learning, and schooling — without legislative action — than is widely believed. As Hess has stated in his new book "Cage-Busting Leadership," the "culture of can't" in K–12 — in which leaders do not take advantage of existing opportunities to better serve students — is a product of structures and substantial incentives to avoid creating conflict or triggering lawsuits; little exposure to the world beyond K–12 education; and preparation, training, and culture that is almost entirely focused on instructional leadership rather than transforming organizations.

To equip leaders and encourage what Hess calls "cage-busting leadership," education reformers should welcome the know-how and ingenuity of "lawyers for education reform," the business and philanthropic communities, and new leadership preparation programs.

Event Description
When it comes to reforming America’s public schools, there is a lot of discussion over what educational leaders cannot do. Much of the policy debate revolves around the contracts, laws, and regulations that make it hard to reward excellence and address mediocrity.

Equally significant is the failure of system leaders to take advantage of existing opportunities. Rick Hess, AEI education policy scholar and author of the forthcoming “Cage-Busting Leadership” (Harvard Education Press, 2013), believes the problem stems from K–12 training and culture, incentives to avoid conflict and lawsuits, and the pervasive “culture of can’t” that fails to serve kids well.

In this Bradley Lecture, Hess will suggest how reformers should complement their focus on policy with a careful attention to the successes and shortfalls in K–12 leadership, and how to tackle the “culture of can’t.”
Copies of “Cage-Busting Leadership” will be available for purchase at the event.

If you are unable to attend, we welcome you to watch the event live on this page. Full video will be posted within 24 hours.