Argues that schools must equip students to be good citizens in a democratic society, not prepare students for work. States that schools should prepare students for family, community, and society roles, not narrowly for specific jobs. (SK)

Tackles Arnold Packer's assertion that U.S. workers' productivity has declined in recent years. The quality of education in developed nations is only loosely coupled to national economic health. Many educators and economists are increasingly skeptical of the notion that better schools mean a more prosperous nation. (MLH)

Many education critics are now acknowledging that schools are performing better than ever. "Then and now" studies of test scores typically favor the now. Student motivation strongly influences performance on standardized tests. Bush's America 2000 program does little for poor and minority children falling behind grade level. Complex…

In the workplace, the test score/earnings relationship is insignificant. Job success does not involve taking tests, but pleasing employers, working well with colleagues, and being courteous, savvy, reliable, motivated, and perseverant. Test-score disparities severely affect minorities' college-admission and employment opportunities. (MLH)

International comparisons of academic achievement are faulted by methodological problems. U.S. schools are doing better in international comparisons than we have been led to believe. However, there are shortcomings. An education reform agenda needs to treat poor urban and rural schools as patients in an intensive-care ward. (MLF)

In this article, the author discusses the "high-skills hoax"--the notion that everyone must have high skills to be employable. While he recognizes the civil rights issue in the debate--everyone should have the opportunity to develop the skills to land a high-paying job--the law of supply and demand dictates that more high-skilled workers would…

A Japanese editorial in an English-language daily harshly criticized Japanese education's failure to enhance students' spirit of independence; develop critical and artistic thinking skills; and promote social awareness and an international viewpoint. The United States finished fourth out of 60 in the (unpublicized) International Math Olympiad.…

Debunks some goofy ideas--notions that schools control our economic destiny, money matters not in education, and American students' performance is uniformly dismal on international standardized tests. The United States offers more educational opportunities than other nations. Detractors and advocates of public education are given Rotten or Golden…

Mixed results for U.S. adults on the First International Adult Literacy Survey reveal the worthlessness of posting international test scores without considering cultural, social, and economic contexts. In the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, U.S. eighth-graders' performance was average, but fourth-graders' results were…

A critical issue is restoring education's central role--preparing people to live in a democracy, not a "government-industrial complex." Education should not be a training ground for business and industry. Common schools should be championed, not demeaned. Choice and charter school options must be more objectively evaluated. Better…

Describes United States literacy characteristics, based on April 2000 reports from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement. Discusses Angoff methods for evaluating validity of high-stakes testing programs in Massachusetts and Virginia. (MLH)

New data from SAT scores, the Second International Assessment of Educational Progress, and other sources show that American public education compares favorably with that of other advanced nations, despite mass media hysteria. Performance levels on academic indicators may reflect demographic factors more strongly than educational system quality.…

Reviews the year in public education-bashing. Debunks columnist George Will's claims about teachers' preference for private schools, Willard Daggett's claims about youngsters' VCR programming skills, and two outrageous "Family Circle" and "Business Week" articles. Meanwhile, SAT scores are rising, school buildings are…

Mountains of data over 10 years show that the educational sky is not falling. This article deplores critics' disregard of the Sandia Report, American policymakers' test-craziness and education/economic productivity obsessions, the overrated "Texas Miracle," National Education Goals, and weighty student backpacks. (MLH)

The good news about U.S. schools (improved Scholastic Aptitude Test scores and international achievement rankings) continues to be ignored, while the bad news about the nation's real problems (crushing poverty, crumbling cities, and a faltering economy) worsens. A system that formerly functioned as a sorting machine is now expected to optimize all…