San Francisco Unified School District is to be commended for the progress it has made in improving student achievement despite urban challenges. San Francisco outperformed similar districts in California in the areas of elementary, middle and high school reading and math.

Talented, experienced leaders like these, who have stepped forward and committed to the critical task of transforming urban school systems, offer new promise to raising student achievement for every student in our urban centers. We are excited to train this new class with the skills necessary to effectively manage an urban school district.

Norfolk's success can be attributed to the district's strong leadership, and the solid partnership with the school board, unions and community. It is clear that they have made education a priority for all students.

The biggest barrier we've seen to student progress is this: School policies and practices often prevent good teachers from doing great work and even dissuade some talented Americans from entering the profession. This needs to change.

You can have great teachers, but if you don't have a good principal, you won't have a good school.

Frankly, I'm not sure how far I would get if I attended public school today. It's not just that public schools aren't producing the results we want - it's that we're not giving them what they need to help students achieve at high levels. K-12 education in the United States is deeply antiquated.