The Imperative for Educational Reform
What are the main points made in the reading?
A Nation at Risk created the present-day sense that American schools are failing, and generated many education reform efforts since the report was published in ‘83. A Nation at Risk assessed the quality of teaching and learning at the elementary, high school, and college levels and compared American schools with those of “advanced” nations. It reported that America’s educational system was failing to meet the national need for a competitive workforce.
“An open letter to the American people,” the A Nation at Risk called for elected officials, educators, parents, and students to reform a public school system that was “in urgent need …show more content…
The twin goals of equity and high-quality schooling have profound and practical meaning for our economy and society, and we cannot permit one to yield to the other either in principle or practice. To do so… would lead to a generalized accommodation to mediocrity in our society on the one hand or the creation of an undemocratic elitism on the other” (page 11). * The Learning Society; A Learning Society “…affords all (its) members the opportunity to stretch their minds to full capacity, from early childhood through adulthood, learning more as the world itself changes” (page 11). * The Tools at Hand; “It is our conviction that the essential raw materials needed to reform our educational system are waiting to be mobilized through effective leadership” (page 12). * The Public’s Commitment; “…The safety of the United States depends principally on the wit, skill, and spirit of a self-confident people, today and tomorrow. It is, therefore, essential-especially in a period of long-term decline in educational achievement-for government at all levels to affirm responsibility for nurturing the Nation’s intellectual capacity” (page 14).
A Nation at Risk
The Imperative for Educational …show more content…
The report claimed that American students were “plummeting” academically, that schools “suffered” from “uneven” standards, and that teachers were not “prepared”. The report also noted that our economy and national security would “crumble” if something weren’t done. Needless to say, its use of strong language not only caused a stir, both among the general public and in the education policy community, but A Nation at Risk, also provided much of the push for a number of school improvement measures undertaken throughout the United States. Even though A Nation at Risk has drawn much intense criticism it reinforced the power of the