As noted by many historians, the modern tale of American education is one of a pendulum swinging between concerns about excellence and those about equity. In many matters of policy and practice, excellence and equity are in tension, if not actual conflict. It can be assumed that progressives will always take the "equity" side. So if conservatives do not make excellence a priority, nobody will. What exactly does the author mean by "excellence"? Three things are presented in this report: (1) organizational excellence; (2) academic excellence; and (3) excellence in extracurricular activities and other nonacademic pursuits.