Good times are not just around the corner. Rather, at least for the next half-decade, educators are facing what Secretary Duncan has termed the "new normal." After three generations in which national, nominal per pupil spending went up every single year, learning to operate in an environment of flat or declining spending is a new challenge for most educators. It's important to know how not to respond, and then to start thinking proactively about how to find the silver lining in this cloud.