Horizons and Snowballs

I have been expanding my awareness of the educational world for the past three years. Have talked about being able to see "the waves of opportunity" coming. I am begining to see the waves of reform, with a little help from my class on NCLB, my blogging, and the awesome educators on TLN. I can't help but think that if teachers see a reform on the horzion they should figure out how to positively influence it before it rolls out of control over top of them like a giant snowball.

For instance, why didn't any teachers see NCLB coming? Why didn't they try to block it before it became a law when they could actually do something about it.

IT is much easier to influence public policy before it becomes policy than it is to change it after it is the status quo.

So the trick seems to be looking to the horizon to see what is coming and then figuring out how to make it work for teachers.
A Nation At Risk was one of these opportunities. It made a difference, and now that many of its reforms are finally beginning to be implemented, I want to look for what is next. Is it TOugh Choices< former USDOE leader Riley. (I know he gets it but can he helpo anybody else get it?)
Is it National Standards?
Or is it teachers finally calling for more accountability in the form of teaching standards?