This week, Education Week, one of the most respected educational watchdog Web periodicals, released its "Quality Counts" ranking for state education systems. Kentucky - in no small part due to its Kentucky Teacher Internship Program - ranked second in all 50 states for "Improving Teacher Quality."  It also ranked third in Standards and Accountability, and 14th in "Resource Equity," a hallmark of the Kentucky Educational Reform Act, and a guiding force behind the Kentucky Educational Technology System which it spawned. 

Of course, this ranking does little to recognize the importance of local control and initiative. "...School-based decision making councils aren't recognized [by this ranking]," said Kentucky Education Commissioner Gene Wilhoit in a recent press release. "Councils provide school-level control of day-to-day activities and involve teachers and parents in the decision-making process....we believe the work of school councils deserves more credit." It is at the school level that decisions about textbooks, resources, and technology are made. 

It's good to step back a bit and look, just as Education Week has done, remembering that, of the many things we do well, some are recognized nationally, and some just are.

       --Jeffrey L. Jones, Editor