This link goes to comment on improving public education. I believe the author makes the case for what we really need to do much better than I can.
Improving Education: Getting to the Real Problems
All of the various fixes by so called experts miss the point of what education is about. We need to do something, so maybe we should go to charter schools, vouchers, cameras in the classroom, testing all students in everything every year, etc. Then, when they fail to improve the situation, we will be ready to look at the real causes of why many students don't get the education they need.