While looking for something else, I came across an unusual proposal by George Liebmann, of the Calvert Institute.

It's  unusual in the sense that Calvert is a free-market oriented group, so you'd think that Liebmann would endorse school vouchers, tax credits, or something along those lines. 

Not quite.

He says "It would be nice if conservatives ceased dreaming Milton Friedman's dreams of a more privatized system and got down to brass tacks."

His proposal has three alternative goals: differential pay for teachers in hard-to-staff disciplines; trimming down the time would-be teachers need to become certified, and bring about building-based governance.

Could such an approach bring about meaningful improvements? Could it actually be implemented?