Where to go on School Reform

Over the past month I have spent a good deal of time trying to de-bunk some of the current arguments regarding school reform. It's as if everyone blames unions, teachers, tenure, central bureaucracy, and other factors for the failings of some schools.
As I noted recently, in total, our schools aren't failing.

Do changes need to be to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Of course!! It doesn't matter where you stand on the issue of school reform, it makes common sense to always look for ways to get better.

I am thoroughly convinced that the vast majority of school personnel want to get better at helping students. I am convinced that the proposals I am suggesting would be embraced by a good number of people within, and outside, the school building. Here are some actions that I feel would result in improved learning (notice I didn't say test scores!).

1) A 7 1/2 hour school day.
2) Fewer late starts, half days, early dismissals. The point being this...fewer disruptions in the school day
3) School year of at least 190 days
4) A rich and varied curriculum of a truly liberal arts variety
5) Forget teaching to various mandated tests
6) More before school and after school one on one teacher-student interaction 7) 120 minutes (2 hrs.) of teacher prep time
8) Where needed, have an adult literacy program, health care center and other family social services
9) Negotiate an end to tenure or an overhaul of tenure
10) More attention paid to Music, Art, Home Economics, Drama, Shop, and Physical Education

These are but some of my suggestions. Note that I did not call for a new set of rules for firing tenured teachers or abolishing unions. I am not advocating for tearing apart the bureacracy of the school system.

Thanks,
Dick