Editorial writers tackle public school issues. (The State of Education).

Education issues interest almost every household. Our readers who don't have children in public schools pay taxes to support the schools and live in communities that reflect the quality of the local education system. It may be the longest continuing "hot topic" for editorial writers.

And writing solid, effective education editorials may be one of our most demanding challenges. The topics are vast: testing, standards, the achievement gap, textbooks, funding, school facilities, school leadership, teacher quality and quantity, charter schools, voucher systems, early childhood education, bilingual education, technology, court-ordered reforms, character education, and more. Much more.

How do we begin to know these topics well enough to write persuasive editorials? By tackling the issues one at a time, our symposium writers suggest -- and by getting out of the office to see for ourselves how our local schools work.

--The Editor