Nicholson Baker, the author of Substitute: Going to School With a Thousand Kids

Debating the design of core curricula is a way for grownups to entertain themselves, but it doesn't help children get anywhere worth going. We should demand that all reformers and armchair rigorists do some actual public-school teaching—maybe three weeks as a substitute every year—as a precondition to furthering their proposed changes.

Most learning, beginning with speech—which is the real miracle—happens outside of school.

But reading in school is crucial, obviously. More silent reading and reading to friends—reading of anything—is a good idea. Kids know how to talk—they're remarkably enterprising talkers, in fact—but many stumble over the decoding of simple sentences, even in high school. Some days, if they hate eye-reading, let them listen to audiobooks and podcasts—whatever holds their interest, and delights them, and makes them laugh. Have them write in one- or two-paragraph bursts after they've done some reading. Don't require outlines. Toss the standard essay form out the window. Avoid horrible two-week-long projects.

Hire teachers who are good explainers, who are curious about the world's infinite subject matter. Pay them more and give them their heads. Let them lead their classes in surprising directions.

Carol Burris, the executive director of the Network for Public Education

Anyone who claims they know what students will need to know and be able to do 20 years from now is engaging in speculation. Technology is moving at an astounding rate, and the job market of the next generation is impossible to predict. We do students a disservice when we follow fads—students will learn technological skills on their own. What remains invaluable is a sound academic education that develops well-rounded, informed citizens of the nation and the world.

Our society needs adults who are competent, critical readers who can write with clarity and purpose. Fluency in math is important not only for the development of computational skills, but also because of the abstract reasoning it develops. As important as literacy and numeracy are, students deserve so much more. They need knowledge of historical events along with the ability to analyze those events from differing points of view. Students deserve to communicate in a second language. A physical or biological science along with hands-on laboratory experiences will be a part of school curriculum every year. And all students will participate in the arts at least through their elementary- and middle-school years.

I am a great fan of the International Baccalaureate program, which integrates all of the above and more. Its curriculum and assessments should be a model for all schools.

Catherine Cushinberry, the executive director of Parents for Public Schools