School: The Story of American Public Education

A history of the American public education systems, beginning in the late 1700s and working up to the present day.

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Created By
Status	Ended
Original Name	School: The Story of American Public Education
First Air Date	September 3, 2001
Last Air Date	September 24, 2001
Seasons	1
Episodes	4
Episode Runtime	3h 40min
Language	English
Original Language	English
Production Countries	—
Production Companies
Networks

S01E04

The Bottom Line: 1980 - The Present

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?

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