I. David Wheat, Jr. is a strategic planning consultant retained by the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy to examine timely education policy issues. Previous reports include Understanding Virginia’s Report Card: Why Standardized Test Scores Vary from One Community to Another (November 1997), 2000 New Teachers: Where Are They Needed Most? (February 1998), Car Tax Cuts: How Should Localities be Reimbursed? (February 1998), Raising Student Attendance: Some Low Cost Strategies (March 1998), and Local Perspective in a State Office: The Legislator’s Dilemma (March 1998), and Deficient Diplomas: Is It Time for A Graduate Warranty Program? (September 1998).* He is president of Wheat Resources Inc., a consulting firm established in 1981 that specializes in helping both private and public sector clients organize and analyze data they use in making strategic decisions. He received his Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in 1972, and then served three years as a White House staff assistant specializing in economic and energy issues. Later, at the University of Houston, he served as Director of Federal Relations and taught a graduate course on public policy implementation. His education policy consulting work is enhanced by several years of nationally recognized classroom instruction experience in Virginia public schools, as well as by service on the Governor’s Commission on Champion Schools, where he participated in the upgrading of the history and social science Standards of Learning for Virginia’s students. He also teaches political science at Virginia Western Community College.