JEFFREY BROWN:

For close to two decades now, or even longer, depending on your perspective, education reform has been on the agenda of Democrats and Republicans alike, school leaders around the country and major philanthropists who have influenced the debate.

It's all led to big changes, new laws and programs, tougher requirements and additional funding, lots more testing, and occasional school closings and teacher layoffs. But what has it all brought?

Our former education correspondent John Merrow chronicled these efforts for our program for many years. He now looks back and into the future with a critique and with prescriptions in his new book, "Addicted to Reform: A 12-Step Program to Rescue Public Education."

And, first, hello again, John.

JOHN MERROW, Author, "Addicted to Reform: A 12-Step Program to Rescue Public Education": Nice to see you, Jeff.