The articles in this edition of PSPK’s Education Brief all focus on teachers, yet each brings a distinct perspective to the discussion. “The Development of In-Service Teacher Training” provides a historical overview as well as an analysis of how strategic professional development efforts are—whether initiated by the education system or undertaken autonomously by educators themselves.

The article “Homework from Our Homework Policy” highlights the importance of feedback and good practices in determining whether a particular approach is truly effective. Meanwhile, the reflection piece “If Ms. Ayu Were Christian, Would the Children Still Love Her?” illustrates how deeply personal—and profoundly meaningful—education initiatives can be, as exemplified by community movements such as Sabang Merauke.

Ultimately, education reform is never simple. Whether at the level of government, community, or classroom, change in education is ultimately about what is done across multiple levels (Caldwell, 2014).

We hope this edition of Education Brief serves as an entry point for conversations that will encourage budget allocations aligned with policy priorities, eliminate short-term programs with minimal impact, and scale up as well as consolidate approaches that have proven effective in practice.