If you had the chance to listen to Lance Izumi on the Ron Williams Show (WCIT-940am), here are more details on his recent book, Short-Circuited, mentioned on the program.

California Governor-elect Jerry Brown and incoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson want to improve education in the Golden State. They should begin by asking why Florida, though demographically similar to California, continues to trounce the state in student achievement. According to a new study from the Pacific Research Institute, low-income and minority students continue to propel Florida's gains while California student performance lags near the bottom.

President Obama has laid the groundwork for an unprecedented centralization of education policy under the guise of promoting educational innovation, accountability, and improved student achievement. In reality, Obama’s new national standards, curricula, and testing shift the policy-making power from individuals and communities to the federal bureaucracy.

Speech given by Lance Izumi:

Thank you so much. It is a great pleasure for me to be here today. Before beginning my remarks, let me first thank the Atlas Foundation for inviting to their conference and for organizing this distinguished panel.