Going Public: History of Lit. Edu.

     Part IV looks at how money and business ideas started to shape public education. During that time, schools faced more pressure to show results, mainly through standardized testing.  In 1983, the government released a report called A Nation at Risk , which warned that American students were not keeping up with students from other countries. This led to big reforms, pushing schools to improve by setting higher standards and relying on test scores. However, this often made education more about memorizing facts for tests instead of real learning.  Looking back, the focus on test scores and business-style reforms had both good and bad effects. On one hand, schools became more aware of student achievement gaps and tried to raise standards. On the other hand, too much focus on test results limited creativity, critical thinking, and emotional learning.  Many of the issues from this time are still relevant today. Standardized testing, school choice, and educati...

One of the most striking aspects of this period is the rise of standardized testing as a dominant force in public schools. Policies like the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), signed into law in 2002, aimed to close achievement gaps between students of different socioeconomic backgrounds. However, the emphasis on testing as a measure of school success had unintended consequences. While the law sought to hold schools accountable, it often led to a narrowing of the curriculum, with teachers focusing on test preparation rather than broader educational goals. This shift raises important questions: Does standardized testing truly measure student learning? Does it improve schools, or does it simply create more pressure on students and teachers? The emphasis on test scores sometimes overshadowed deeper learning, critical thinking, and creativity—qualities that many educators argue are essential for success in the real world. Another key theme in this section is the debate over school choice, in...

In the 1950s, public schools in the United States were no longer allowed to be segregated. This was a big step toward equality. But ending segregation also caused problems. Some people did not like the changes. When schools started moving students around to create more diverse classrooms, some families got upset. Many white families moved away to avoid integration. This was called “white flight” ( School , pp. 168–170). Even in 1980, schools were still not completely equal. People were still talking about fairness in special education, women’s rights, and race. Experts said these talks were important for a healthy democracy ( School , p. 170). At the same time, the number of non-white students was growing. Schools had to figure out how to support all students fairly. During big changes in the economy, schools started to focus more on job training. This happened in the late 1800s during the Industrial Revolution and again in the 1900s when the United States was competing with countrie...

Reflection of Part IV This part of the book shows that the 1983 report A Nation at Risk made individuals believe that American schools were failing, but many people disagreed. It showed that the performance of students was improving, and more people, including minorities and disabled people, were becoming educationally accessible. The report also blamed schools for economic problems, as it did in the 1950s when the United States lost the space race to the Russians. In reality, larger problems like international competition and changes in industry affected the economy more than education. One of the most significant results of the report was high-stakes testing and stricter school standards. Schools had more pressure to achieve higher standards, but the government reduced its role in schools, and it was left up to states and local schools to take the heat. Ultimately, while improving education is a need, it is wrong to blame the schools for everything that's going wrong in economics...

  As I reflect on part III of the book , the struggle and process of inequality are depicted in the history of public education in America in part III of the book. It emphasizes both how far we have come and how much more needs to be done. It makes us wonder about educational equality and who should make decisions and lead the field. The background of Brown v. Board of Education and Plessy v. Ferguson emphasizes the court cases that were fought for racial equality in schools. The "separate but equal" theory was established by the Plessy v. Ferguson case in 1896, permitting racial segregation in public places like schools. However, it became clear as the 1950s drew near that African-American students were not afforded equal opportunities under this doctrine. Segregated schools lacked the resources that white schools had, were overcrowded, and received bad funding. Black students did not have equal access to or quality of education. The Supreme Court declared in Brown v. ...

  After reading part III of the book, my group and I discussed how the fight for equal access to education, particularly for marginalized groups, has become central to the conversation about public schooling. After reading part III I began to think about these historical issues that still mostly happen today. For example, the debate over standardized testing and its role in perpetuating inequalities is one that continues to shape educational policy. The book helped me understand that education, while often seen as a means of social mobility, has often been used as a tool to maintain existing power structures. The tension between education as a tool for individual empowerment and as a mechanism for social control was something that I had not fully appreciated before. Reflecting on the readings, I found myself thinking about the role of teachers and professionalization of teaching. The book highlighted how the teaching profession, particularly in the early 20th century, was often und...