School: The Story of American Public Education
tv show

4 total episodes
-
1 seasons
First Aired September 03, 2001
Overview
A history of the American public education systems, beginning in the late 1700s and working up to the present day.
The Bottom Line: 1980 - The Present poster unavailable
The Bottom Line: 1980 - The Present
Season 1 - Episode 4 - 1h 56m
Air Date
September 24, 2001
Overview
In 1983, the Reagan Administration’s report A Nation at Risk shattered public confidence in America’s school system and sparked a new wave of education reform. This program explores the impact of the "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 the Founding Fathers’ notions of a common school, or are they the only recourse in a complex society?