My wish for you and for me: a happy, healthy 2014.

Here are my hopes for 2014:

Let us rededicate ourselves to the principles of our democracy.

Let us continue to act upon the belief that each one of us counts, and that each person has one vote, regardless of how wealthy he or she is.

Let us continue to believe in the value of every child, regardless of his or her test score.

Let us continue to insist on a better education for all, not just more testing and more standardization.

Let us hold fast to the idea that a better education means that all children have equal opportunity to develop fully as human beings.

Let us remember that the purpose of public education is not just to prepare for college and careers, but to prepare for citizenship in a democracy as responsible persons.

Let us remember that a good education focuses on the growth of each child in skills and knowledge and the development of character, integrity, and thoughtfulness.

Let us remember that good schools offer every child the opportunity to learn history, civics, literature, science, mathematics, the arts, foreign languages, and economics, as well as to engage in physical education.

Let us remember that good schools have the resources they need for the students they enroll.

Let us continue to insist that every school have the teachers, librarians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and guidance counselors it needs.

Let us remember that education takes place in many settings, including online, but that the interaction between teacher and student remains the pre-eminent means of teaching and learning.

Let us insist upon higher standards of personal conduct for ourselves and higher standards of civility in our public life.

Let us never forget that each child is a unique individual, unlike any other in the universe. Each and every one deserves an education that prepares them to live a full life.

Let us continue to struggle for the day when public officials recognize that testing is a means to an end, not an end in itself.

Let us never forget that not everything that can be measured matters, and not everything that can be counted counts. That which we treasure most cannot be measured.

We know what good education is. We must do our best to ensure that it is available to all, not just to those with the means to buy it.