DOCUMENT RESUME ED 295 288 EA 020 012 AUTHOR Goodman, Leroy V., Ed. TITLE The Education Almanac, 1987-1988. Facts and Figures about Our Nation's System of Education. Third Edition. INSTITUTION National Association of Elementary School Principals, Alexandria, VA. PUB 'DATE 87 NOTE 343p.; For second edition, see ED 264 638. AVAILABLE FROMPublication Sales, National Association of Elementary School Principals, 1615 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 (Stock No. EA 03; $20.00 plus $3.00 shipping and handling; quantity discounts). PUB TYPE Reference Materials - General (130) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC14 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Educational Change; Educational Finance; *Educational History; *Educational Trends; Elementary Secondary Education; Enrollment Trends; Foundations of Education; Government School Relationship; Parent School Relationship; Political Issues; *Politics of Education; School Community Relationship; *School Statistics ABSTRACT This is the third edition of the Education Almanac, an assemblage of statistics, facts, commentary, and basic background information about the conduct of schools in the United States. Features of this variegated volume include an introductory section on "Education's Newsiest Developments," followed by some vital educational statistics, a set of historical "Readings in American Education" by such notables as Benjamin Franklin and Horace Mann, emerging educational trends, and data from public opinion polls on educational issues. Other items in this potpourri include articles on elementary schooling, parent involvement, legal issues, the job market, private funding, sources of information about educational issues, recognition programs, and educational trivia. An extensive index is included. (TE) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** s \-.,-=.--)--.-=.---- ...'\. k__.4f;\ (fe4Z1111,7,,,,m,s--.., --- -..i4 ,A, Irt '' _____ '--,_..,4..''-;:'..- -.'-a' feez.:-.-*ge4', '`.-.. x,,,-.... 0001 .-----.---:,,..-4 THE EDUCATION ALMANAC 1987-1988 Prepared and Published by the National Association of Elementary School Principals Serving America's elementary and middle schools 4 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 84.644180 International Standard Serial Number (ISSN 0747-5772) National Association of Elementary School Principals 1615 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Executive Director: Samuel G. Sava Copyright ©1987 by the National Association of Elementary School Principals The Education Almanac 1987 -1988 Editor: Leroy V. Goodman Associate editors: Story Moorefield, Lillian M. Goodman Contributing editors: John Wherry, Virginia Ross, Mary Massey, RebeccaHutton, Eileen M. Carlton Production: Ellen Matthews, Charlotte Marson, M. Rita Brown Typography: Scott Photographics, Inc. Printing: Ken Wirsing, VMW Printing, Inc. Illustrations: Dover Pictorial Archive Series (MOO Woodcuts by Thomas Berwickand His School, Edited by Blanche Chker) Printed in the United States of America :f yet 1 Herewith the third edition of the Education Almanacan assemblage of statistics, facts, commentary, and basic background information about the conduct of America's schools. The editors 21, appreciate the valuable comments and suggestions generated by the first two editions and would A welcome more. While all correspondence will be carefully and gratefully studied, staff limitations make it impossible to guarantee a response. ii s It ; ) 6 Contents Education's Newsiest Developments 1 The New Educational Revolution 2 The Teacher as American Hero 4 An Impressive New Carnegie Report 6 Bennett as Barnum 7 Education's Most Turbulent Issue 8 Hard Times for School Desegregation 10 Education's "Biggest Problem" 11 The Teacher Testing Controversy 13 The Beleaguered Textbook 15 No Pass, No Play 17 A Farewell to Vouchers? 19 America's Unique System of Education 21 Some Vital Education Statistics 25 Education Profiles of the States 51 A Brief History of American Education 109 Readings in American Education 118 "Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania," by Benjamin Franklin 118 "A New England School of 1810" 119 -.) E D U C A T I O N A L M A N A C 1 9 8 7 - 1 9 8 8 "The Republic and the Schools: The Education of Free Men," vii by Horace Mann 120 "A Theory of Education," by William Torrey Harris 122 Brown vs. Board of Education (from the 1954 decision) 123 1955 White House Conference on Education (from a committee report) 124 A Nation At Risk (from the 1983 report) 125 What's Right About American Education 126 The U.S. Department of Education 130 Getting Parents Involved 134 Some Emerging Educational Trends 138 Franchised Schooling 138 The Dropout Situation 139 Year-Round Schools 140 Sex Education Lives 141 Lotteries Seem a Good Bet 142 The Fading One-Room School 143 Down the Hatch (Act)? 143 What the Education Polls Say 145 High Marks in the Gallup Poll 146 Some Particular Gallup Poll Qs and As 149 Low Marks in the Harris Poll 153 Meet the Superintendent 156 First Lessons for Elementary Schools 159 Kindergarten Today 162 Head Start and Follow Through 165 The Rewards of Staff Recognition 167 Magnet Schools 169 Tomorrow's Jobs 171 Today's Library 174 TV: A Bright Spot in Children's Programming 178 Getting Private Funding for Public Schools 183 School-Business Partnerships 198 ERIC: Education's Research Storehouse 201 The National Assessment of Educational Progress 206 Recent Court Rulings Affecting the Schools 210 Major National Education Organizations 216 Selected Education Periodicals 245 8 CONTENTS viiiRecent Books About Education 254 Quotable Comments on Education 258 Some Jokes Heard at Education Conventions 263 Celebrative Occasions for 1987 and 1988 266 Pathfinders in American Education 287 Landmark Dates in American Education 295 American Education Week 301 The National Teacher of the Year Program 302 The National Distinguished Principals Program 303 The Education Flag 304 The Pledge of Allegiance 305 An Education Trivia Quiz 306 Calendars for 1987 and 1988 308 Index 311 Education's Newsiest Developments s the nation begins to 4-year-olds, for example, or the round out the 1980s, growing resistance to the "dumbing education continues down" of textbooks. to capture headlines, Some developments give cause in marked contrast to for apprehensionthe chipping the cold shoulder it received from away of civil rights gains, for the media in the decade's initial example, and the emergence of years. bilingual education as a catalyst for Presumably the change has come divisiveness that threatens to about because education is once become as wracking as school again perceived as being at the core desegmsation was 25 years ago. of American life, as in the Republic's An there is tragedy, as in the formative years. Effective schools death of one of the most sparkling are not just desirable; they are champions of education the nation critically necessary fat the fulfillment and even survival of the individual and for the prosperity UAACA, and safety of the nation. Most of the school-related events and developments currently drawing media coverage point to a /lb strengthened system of education in the future. There is the education revolution .....-=;,- that is extending school to 3- and iimmr 1 0 E D U C A T I O N A L M A N A C 1 9 8 7 - 1 9 8 8 2has ever known, Christa McAuliffe. "The issue is no longer whether All in all, so much is going on in we will serve younger children," a education these days, there is so Massachusetts superintendent told . much of consequence to report, the New York Times. "The only that there is no way to pick out the question is how we will do it." most newsworthy developments The pressure arises chiefly from the events or movements that are continued rises in divorce rates, in currently having the greatest the incidence of single-parent impact on American education. families, and in the number of It is reasonable to suggest, mothers taking jobs outside the however, that the following home. would be good candidates. The result is an army of children whose mothers are not available to The New Educational Revolution them during the daycurrently The United States would appear to over 4 million, according to the be well embarked on perhaps the Bureau of the Census, and perhaps most far-reaching restructuring of double that number according to public education since the other reliable sources. Once the establishment of the high school in answer was to enlist a grandmother the 1850s. or neighbor to take over, but with At the heart of this educational the demand for such help far revolution is the extension of public exceeding the supplyand with schooling downward below age 5, day-care rates approaching college past age 4, to age 3.. tuition levelsthe most inviting kindergarten meanwhile having alternative seems to be the local become standard in virtually every public elementary school. state. Before the century is out the Moreover, there would appear to repercussions seem certain to affect be an important public interest the education system at every level. involved. Social analysts point to The implications to the largest of the potential disaster inherent in those levelselementary leaving millions of young children educationinclude new forms of unsupervised during a major school organization, new kinds of portion of the day. And they point training and certification for also to the demonstrated public teachers