A great article: Competing Paradigms and Educational Reform that asks,

What has this dominant paradigm actually done for public education except manufacture a crisis?

Not only does it list initiatives and consequenses of this paradigm (worth reading again!), it also suggests  a paradigm shift with the following perspective: (quote)

• Human freedom and empowerment are more critical than accountability and punishment.
• Life is about relationships, not acquisition.
• School is a democratic experience.
• Caring and trust for each person is the center of any truly professional activity.
• Schools are to improve society as a whole, not providing competitive advantage to the elite.
• Curriculum is best derived from the needs and interests of the learners.
• Developmental appropriateness should supercede national assessment.
• School failure is the result of a variety of political and economic causes.

"Supporters of this alternate perspective maintain that education is a process based on trust, not doubt and suspicion (Bryk & Schneider 2002). The crucial elements that will sustain school improvement is not high-stakes testing, standards, or reactionary accountability programs – “it is simple human trust… that rests on four supports: respect, competency, integrity, and personal regard for others” (George 2006).

"Real education is built on meaningful relationships. We do not learn things in isolation from each other. The core components of education are based on learner-centered values, a respect for diversity and complexity, tolerance, and empowerment. The developmental needs for learners are widespread and cannot be easily or meaningfully reduced to a pencil-based exam."

This fits so well with where my thinking has been of late. To add to Chris' idea that the shift will come from the grassroots/bottom up, I am reminded of Dave Sands comment that, "Students will change education." 

This one is on Servant Leadership - providing students with capacities and competencies...

“Through their programs schools can provide the opportunity for the development of capacities and competencies, that enable young people to get started on the path of acting with a sense of civic responsibility. Through programs of community and “service” learning, student leadership programs, peer mediation and coaching, mentoring programs, and student decision-making groups, schools can provide the opportunity to students to develop a sense of commitment to others and a sense of service to further the interests of all groups in society.”
Page 431 Quote from International Handbook on Lifelong Learning, Chapman & D. Aspin , Edited by David N Aspin, Judith Chapman, Michael Hatton, Yukiko Sawano,  (2001) Hingham, MA: Kluwer Academic

(I look at Servant Leadership/Robert K. Greenleaf starting on pg. 15 of My Master's Paper. Here are some Student Leadership Lessons, and some wonderful Teaching Metaphors.)

Peter Senge writes on Creative Tension and moving from Reality to Vision.

Leadership in a learning organization starts with the principle of creative tension. Creative tension comes from seeing clearly where we want to be, our "vision," and telling the truth about where we are, our "current reality." The gap between the two generates a natural tension. Creative tension can be resolved in two basic ways: by raising current reality toward the vision, or by lowering the vision toward current reality. Individuals, groups, and organizations who learn how to work with creative tension learn how to use the energy it generates to move reality more reliably toward their visions.
Peter M. Senge, The Leader's New Work: Building Learning Organizations, Sloan Review, Fall 1990. p. 9.
 

Knowledge Sharing - we have a ways to go in Education.

It is ironic that schools systems are late to the game of knowledge building both for their students and for their teachers. Most schools are not good at knowledge sharing within their own walls...”
M. Fullan (2001), Leading in a Culture of Change.San Francisco John Wiley & Sons. (p. 104).