In this episode I sit down with Mike Petrilli, the president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, and wildly prolific writer about education and education policy.  We also talk about how policy can and and ought to policy into practice at the local level.  I wanted to share a little more about Mike’s background from the Thomas B. Fordam Institute’s website because it is so impressive: [Mike is also a] research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, executive editor of Education Next, and a Distinguished Senior Fellow for Education Commission of the States. An award-winning writer, he is the author of The Diverse Schools Dilemma, and editor of Education for Upward Mobility. Please enjoy this conversation with Mike Petrilli. Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.