Experts suggest a new way to look at education reform.

Frederick M. Hess and Juliet P. Squire analyze how the state of Hawaii has restructured failing schools and what useful lessons for other states and locales can be learned from the experience.

Schools under restructuring in Hawaii partner with outside organizations at a much higher level than schools on the mainland; Hawaii has put in place support mechanisms to facilitate partnerships with these external providers.

In this era of constrained resources, how can schools cut costs, eliminate inefficient spending, and fuel school improvement?

When its schools began entering restructuring in 2002, officials at Hawaii's Department of Education brought in outside expertise to restructure failing schools and also adopted a "diverse provider model."