This book could not have been written without the help of many people.

Several people provided excellent feedback on particular chapters or drafts of this book: Alison Castro-Superfine, Suzanne Eckes, David Mayrowetz, Mark Smylie, Kevin Welner, and two anonymous reviewers provided especially extensive feedback. Their comments and advice were invaluable, and this book is significantly better for their gracious efforts. Of course, all mistakes and omissions are my own.

I am also grateful to the faculty and administration at the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago for their continuing support. I am particularly grateful to Mark Smylie for his intellectual mentorship. He provided a sounding board for many of my ideas and more broadly helped me navigate the strange environment that is academia. I am also grateful to John Benjamin for his research support.

Most of the ideas in this book were developed and sharpened in several courses that I taught at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I am indebted to the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students who have taken my classes more than they will ever know for the opportunity to discuss these ideas over and over again. My students’ enthusiasm and passion for education reform are driving forces behind this book.

Last, I would like to thank my family. My wife, Alison Castro-Superfine, has been my go-to source for helping me hash through issues of teaching and learning, which are far too often ignored in works focusing on law and policy. More importantly, she has been a never-ending source of encouragement as she strategically pushed the right buttons at just the right times. Chloe, Estelle, and George kept me firmly grounded every day. I can never fully express how much all their love and support mean to me.