Recently, a newly elected member of a school board asked me to suggest background reading. So I put together a list of the reviews I have written for the New York Review of Books in the past two years. When I get some time, I will suggest a reading list of books.
I think you will enjoy them.
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This is a review of Steven Brill’s book “Class Warfare” and Janet Mayer’s “As Bad As They Say.”
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This is a review of “Waiting for ‘Superman'”
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This is a review of Pasi Sahlberg’s book “Finnish Lessons”
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This is a continuation of the previous review, and it reviews Wendy Kopp’s latest book about Teach for America:
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This is a review of the report by a task force chaired by Joel Klein and Condoleeza Rice, which claimed that public education is so terrible that it is a “very grave threat to national security
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As a bonus, this is a post I wrote for CNN explaining why Michelle Rhee is wrong.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
When I get time I plan on reading Ignoring Poverty in the U.S. by Paul Thomas. I bought it, but I currently don’t have time to read it. Looks like an interesting read.
I left off some of the title – Ignoring Poverty in the U.S. – The Corporate Takeover of Public Education
Also, watch the Finland Phenomenon. I thought it was interesting.
I would recommend Peter Taubman’s Teaching By Numbers: Deconstructing the Discourse of Standards and Accountability in Education.
Just out – http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=b4ad2ece093459cbf2afb759f&id=d0834024d2&e=f5cb2ab4f3
On the topic of technology in education, I’d recommend Mark Bauerlein’s The Dumbest Gemeration, which is about the detrimental effects of indiscriminate technology use for the young. I was just having a friendly debate with a colleague this morning about the merits (or not) of “game-based learning,” which I’m sure we will be seeing more of.
Of course, my pick is “Making the Grades:My Misadventures in the Standardized Testing Industry,” by Todd Farrell. Published in 2009, PoliPointPress, paperback, $16.95 in stores, $11.95 at Amazon. A MUST READ, especially for parents (& school board members), because this is the ONLY book that I am aware of that tells the real story of the test industry (money wasted, incompetent &/or dishonest personnel) and how the tests are graded (long answer). It will make their blood boil enough to opt their kids out!
Farrell should also be read on The Huffington Post, as well–I think his latest post was February, 2012, about computer scoring long-form response questions–and why they shouldn’t be used for this purpose.