A one-on-one conversation featuring Gabriel Heller Sahlgren, Research Director, Centre for the Study of Market Reform of Education; and Neal McCluskey, Director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute.
Finland’s top scores on the Program for International Student
Assessment (PISA) have prompted policymakers worldwide to seek the
source of that nation’s seemingly meteoric shot to prominence and
to replicate its policies. Standard explanations for Finland’s rise
include its focus on equity and the absence of standardized tests,
accountability, and market-based reforms such as school choice. But
Finland’s growth began well before the policies credited for its
success, and its PISA scores have recently been in decline.
Real Finnish Lessons explores the role of Finland’s
complicated and unique history in its educational trajectory and
shows the powerful role of Finnish culture in the country’s
success. Please join us as we tackle Finland’s rise, decline, and
the deeper explanations needed to make Finland’s experience truly
informative for all nations.
