This paper aimed to scrutinize retrospectively and critically recent education reform in Taiwan. Four major reform programs including "University Outgrowth", "Junior High Student Voluntary Entrance Program", "Multiple Entrance Project", and "Nine-year Coherent Curriculum" were sampled and analyzed respectively following five steps 1.tracing its formation and key points in each reform program 2.reexamiing how the policy was made during policy-making process 3.evaluating the effects and the setbacks 4.diagnosing what the crux of the problems they met? 5. reflecting the views on each program this author expressed or published then. Further, a synthetic comment and prospect was added. Based on the findings ten cardinal principles were proposed for leading future education reform: First, put emphases and make more effort to reconstruction and reorganization rather destruction and demolition. Second, respect the professional and invite more professional representatives to participate in designing new system. Third, keep political interference with educational reform as less as possible. Fourth, free from interest groups taking advantage of education reform. Fifth, substantiality always matters over facial formality. Sixth, estimate and experiment precedes formally enforcement. Seventh, a systematic thinking strategy is required in constructing education reform. Eighth, pursuing educational opportunity equality as a goal never makes the sacrifice of 'excellence'. Nineth, giving enough time for changing culture is usually a prerequisite to education reform, so never try to rush education reform too fast. Tenth, view education reform as a usual and ever-going process and try it to cost less social capital.