Part 1:
A Nation at Risk was and is a document that in essence gave/gives a call to arms to wake up the American nation in regards to mediocrity within education. The report changed high schools to include more necessary core classes for the American high school student and brought about other forms of changes for American schools. It has brought about both negative and positive results in the reform towards successful education of all students. It was imperative to bring about awareness of the decline in educational results, but the modes of transition are still in need of great adjustments. Overall, the A Nation at Risk document set in motion the road for alteration within the American education system which proves to still be of essence today.
After the report many changes were incorporated into the American schools. Immediately following the report, the government set minimum state and local high school graduation requirements to provide heavy doses of English, math, science, social studies, and for the college-bound student, 2 years of a foreign language. The Department of Education released another document call A Nation Accountable, twenty-five years later. It states as of 2005 almost 65% of high school graduates were taking this recommended course work which was four times the amount of those in 1983. In the report, it discussed these alterations to include the states having had developed content standards and tests that report students’ knowledge, beginning of state and local academic standards and standards-based testing, federal legislation requiring the states receiving federal aid for education to have these academic standards and tests in certain grades, as well as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. All of these changes ensued in response to the call to reform by A Nation at Risk.
A Nation at Risk brought about all these changes, whether they are having positive or negative effects is another question in and of
References: EdLaborRepublicans. “Walberg on A Nation at Risk, 25 Years Later.” YouTube. Web. 30 May. 2008. Washington D.C. 2008 < www2.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/accountable/accountable.pdf> Guthrie, James W Result in “Right” Results? At What Cost?. Peabody Journal of Education, 79(1),7-35. 2004. Nagle, Dan. A Public Defense of the Public Schools. NEA.org. Web. 2011 < http://www.nea.org/home/37004.htm?cx=003940220884845374789%3Akbn23ssbx5c&cof= Do. Arlington. August. 2008 < http://www.nbpts.org/UserFiles/File/what_teachers.pdf> The National Commission on Excellence in Education Educational Reform. 1983 < http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/index.html>