Here’s a clue to those outside of education who always say “it’s not about the money” — reforms cost money, sometimes lots of it.

Colloboration time between teachers: Costs money. Innovative structures like small schools and career academies: Costs money, lots of it. Smaller classes, longer days, more days: Costs money.

Not everything can be solved with money — it is easy to waste; just look at Emory Unified — but not a lot can be transformed without it: Best practices generally cost money to implement and maintain.