Both he and the legislature have poured millions of dollars into buying more textbooks, improving teacher-training and cutting class sizes, in the early grades, from 30 or more to no more than 20.

ECONOMIST: Mine! No, mine!

So, for example, we have a program called Race to the Top, where we've been saying we'll give extra money to states and school districts that are improving teacher training and making schools more accountable.

WHITEHOUSE: Open for Questions with President Obama

Other factors which can reduce the effects of marginalization are improved early intervention and maternal health, the removal of school fees, the provision of teaching and learning materials, building schools closer to isolated communities, and improving teacher training.

UNESCO: WORLDWIDE

Part of the savings could then be used to give the top teachers a raise. ( In a 2008 survey funded by the Gates Foundation, 83 percent of teachers said they would be happy to teach more students for more pay.) The rest of the savings could go toward improving teacher support and evaluation systems, to help more teachers become great.

FORBES: Class Size and the Education Experience

Unfortunately, the excitement about big data may obscure this important distinction and may end up degrading, rather than improving, the quality of the teacher-student connection.

FORBES: Fixing Education with Big Data: Turning Teachers into Data Scientists?

Haiti can count on UNESCO in all its actions, whether it is capacity building or improving the quality of education through teacher training and curriculum development.

UNESCO: MEDIA SERVICES

It looks like it works at reducing special education teacher costs but not in improving student learning outcomes.

FORBES: There Are No Silver-Bullets in Education Reform

These actions have angered teacher unions to the point of bringing (unsuccessful) lawsuits, yet academic outcomes are clearly improving.

WSJ: D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee Is Getting Results