How Did Sputnik Contribute To The Changes In American Education

In 1957, the Soviet Union launched a small satellite called Sputnik that ultimately led to changes in American education. The launch of Sputnik brought to light the importance of math and science education. The following year, Congress passed the National Defense Education Act, which provided scholarships and fellowships to prospective mathematicians and scientists. This was the start of many future changes for education in the United States. Over twenty-five years later, a commission appointed by the Reagan administration released a report of the strengths and weaknesses of the American education system, A Nation at Risk. According to the report, American schools were getting worse: test scores were falling, millions of Americans were illiterate,