This book pays special attention to the impact that a student's early childhood and socioeconomic status has on his or her educational achievement. It argues that discussions of education reform need a broader scope, one that encompasses a student's background as well as standardized testing, merit pay for teachers, and other issues regarding the quality of the teaching and learning.

Education Reform: the Unwinding of Intelligence and Creativity features cases and examples from schools in Australia, the USA, and Britain. It offers a breadth of coverage, from early childhood to effective teaching and learning to teacher pay and conditions, standardized testing and public and private (independent) schooling and universities as well as creativity. It also includes summaries of educational policies in many developed countries.

Reforms which emphasize concern for early childhood, school leadership and respect for teachers are contrasted with ones based on standardized tests, private schools and sacking bad teachers.