Diane Silvers Ravitch (b.1938) is an American historian of education, policy analyst, and author known for her advocacy for public schools and critique of standardized testing and privatization. She has significantly influenced U.S. education policy debates.
Born in Houston, Texas, Ravitch attended Wellesley College, earning a B.A. in 1960, then completed a PhD in history at Columbia University (1975.) She served as Assistant Secretary of Education (1991–93) under President George H.W. Bush, initially supporting school choice and standardized testing but later becoming a leading critic of charter schools and privatization.
Her notable publications include Left Back: A Century of Battles Over School Reform (2000,) examining education policy history; The Death and Life of the Great American School System (2010,) critiquing testing and choice policies; and Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools (2013,) opposing corporate-driven education reform. Other works include Slaying Goliath (2020,) highlighting grassroots resistance to privatization, and The Language Police (2003,) exploring censorship in education.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Diane Ravitch
The person who know “how” will always have job. The person who knows “why” will always be his boss.
—Diane Ravitch
Topics: Leadership
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