The author believes that the United States is headed for a short-term disaster when it comes to public schools. For a while, he thought this was only going to be the case for those schools that serve the neediest students, but now he thinks everyone will be affected. Here are the trends that worry him: (1) Money; (2) Teachers; (3) Innovation and charters; and (4) Assessments. He also shares several lessons that he hopes everyone will learn and a couple of ideas on how to ensure that they are put into effect. They are: (1) How individuals treat their children matters; (2) The public education system is central to the strength of the nation; and (3) Innovation in assessment and teaching is vital.