___

SCHOOL: The Story of American Public Education

A 4-part series narrated by Meryl Streep

Episode 4 — The Bottom Line (1980 - the present)
In 1983, A Nation at Risk, a report launched by the Reagan Administration, shattered public confidence in America’s schools and sparked a new wave of education reform. This episode explores the wide range of “free-market” experiments that ensued — from vouchers and charter schools to privatization — all with the goal of meeting tough, new academic standards. Today, the debate rages on: Do these diverse strategies challenge our forefathers’ notion of a common school for all Americans? Or are they our only recourse in today’s complex society?

View a video clip ______________________________________< back