DOCUMENT RESUME ED 399 676 EA 027 971 AUTHOR Finn, Chester E., Jr.; Ravitch, Diane TITLE Education Reform 1995-1996. A Report from the Educational Excellence Network to Its Education Policy Committee and the American People. INSTITUTION Hudson Inst., Indianapolis, IN. PUB DATE Aug 96 NOTE 71p. AVAILABLE FROMHudson Institute, P.O. Box 26-919, Indianapolis, IN 46226 (telephone: 1-800-HUDSON-0, hardcopy: Electronic version: http/www.edexcellence.net PUB TYPE Viewpoints (Opinion/Position Papers, Essays, etc.) (120) Reports Evaluative/Feasibility (142) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Academic Achievement; *Accountability; Charter Schools; *Educational Assessment; Elementary Secondary Education; Federal Government; Government Role; GovernMent School Relationship; Performance; Privatization; School Organization; *School Restructuring; *Standards ABSTRACT This document presents the Educational Excellence Network's third annual report card on the progress of education reform in the United States. Despite much activity, the report assigns reform efforts for 1995-96 the overall grade of C, which is the same grade given for the previous year. Part 1 presents data on academic achievement in American public schools and takes the position that dismal academic performance is the result of innercity schools, the mediocrity of many public schools, and the lack of suitable challenge and expectations for students. Part 2 distinguishes between "content" standards and "performance" standards and discusses problems in setting consistent standards and determining real accountability. The third part differentiates between "systemic reform" (in which federal or state governments set standards and shoulder primary responsibility for orchestrating implementation) and "reinvention" (in which the delivery of public education is opened up to a wide array of providers), and provides a rationale for the reinvention model. The discussion describes progress made in the charter-school, contract-management, and school-choice movements. Part 4 indicates that pedagogical dogma excludes practices that are teacher-directed or that involve direct instruction. The whole-language approach in California, the standards proposed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and "natural" learning are offered as examples of instructional approaches that shut out "instructivism" programs. The final chapter expresses the opinion that the current federal role in education is archaic, that the federal government subsidizes complacent establishment interests rather than those of consumers and reformers, and that the federal government buttresses educational dogmas that are often politically motivated and frequently at odds. with the concerns of parents and communities. (Contains 34 references.) 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'%) 6.1 I(''. : .,:;": :::: -1 ::' 7/- ^ -.... -/-. ill -; d.: ... 1 ;. ° ;1.^:.',;(1.;;4--:' ai-,, -. , 0-,,,,:,,,-,. ..,:,.--r,..:,,.1:--e., ::,,,,, _3,-.:-_,.,i-e,,,,, -, by Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Diane Ravitch -k \1' ,,,. k \ 'dr.' e; :`).\. 1 .127'',,...f:';'-])%s :;',%::.,,I.V.;.:.7,:...i.. A .'''/, (.,.: ::.... -I, .---( 4--7,(.4.,... -,- r1...-t 2 r;,,, A Report from the Educational Excellence Network --c4t----; -- nr.--.";;' .,,, ,- ....., .,,,, ,,,,,,.2,_,I'', /._1,--'r, .-- r:-.- -r to its Education Policy Committee and the AmericanPeople -,:-",;:1-:''''c;- AmericanEducation ReportCard on Reform U. S.Education Name. 1995 1996 School Year: Final Grade Subjects Course-Taking Achievement History Geography Standards Education Reinventing Affea4 Gtr/14./a/er a74eired Instruction the FederalRole Reforming OverallAverage. Adzfee A;;,/achond Graded by: Scale: Grading Performance A Outstanding B Good Work Along C Limping Really Weak D F Abysmal Education Reform 1995"1996 I3y Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Diane Ravitch A Report from the Educational Excellence Network to its Education Policy Committee and the American People Auguot1996 Hudson Institute is a private, not-for-profit research organization founded in 1961 by the late Herman Kahn. Hudson analyzes and makes recommendations about public policy for business and government executives, as well as for the public at large. The institute does not advocate an express ideology or political position. How- ever, more than thirty years of work on the most important issues of the day has forged a viewpoint that embodies skepticism about the conventional wisdom, opti- mism about solving problems, a commitment to free institutions and individual responsibility, an appreciation of the crucial role of technology in achieving progress, and an abiding respect for the importance of values, culture, and religion in human affairs. Since 1984, Hudson has been headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It also maintains offices in Washington, D.C.; Montreal, Canada; and Madison, Wisconsin. Individual and corporate contributors may support Hudson research through tax-deductible gifts to the Institute. The views in this report are solely the views of the authors. No opinions, state- ments of fact, or conclusions contained in this document can be properly attributed to Hudson Institute, its staff, its members, or its contributing agencies. Published by Hudson Institute Indianapolis, Indiana Education Reform 1995-1996 Copyright 1996 Hudson Institute, Inc. This publication may be reproduced with- out the express written consent of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America For more copies of this report, or to receive information on other Hudson Institute publications and programs, please contact: Hudson Institute P.O. Box 26-919 Indianapolis, Indiana, 46226 1-800-HUDSON-0 The report will also be available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.edexcellgce.net Dedicated to thememory of Arthur E. Bestor 19°8-1994 Author of Educational Wastelands: The Retreat from Learning in Our Public Schools (1953) and The Restoration of Learning: A Program for Redeeming the Unfulfilled Promise of American Education (1955), anda founder of the Council for Basic Education. iii Contents Foreword 1 Introduction 3 Part I:Achievement: "Don't Know Much About History" 7 The Example of California 9 A Three-Headed Problem 10 Part II: Standards: Much Talk Not Much Action 13 Two Kinds of Standards 14 Two Kinds of Summit 15 Setting. Standards 16 National Standards? 18 Too Many Standards? 19 Real Accountability 21 Part III: Reinventing Education: Steady Progress 23 GOALS 2000 Amended 25 The District of Columbia 26 Charter Schools: Onward and Upward 29 Charter Opponents 31 Contract Management: A Mixed Year 32 Stasis on School Choice 34 Prospects for Reinvention Part IV Instruction: The Tyranny of Dogma 41 Whole Language and California 42 Mathematics: England Shows the Way 43 The Romance of "Natural" Learning 45 The Instructivist Alternative 47 The Case for Diversity and Balance 50 Part V: Reforming the Federal Role: Little Ventured, Nothing Gained 53 What We Think 60 The 1996 Election 61 Bibliography 62 The Educational Excellence Network 64 The Education Policy Committee 64 About the Authors Inside Back Cover Foreword This is our third annual report card on the progress of education reform in the United States. Despite much activityimprovement on some measures, decline on oth- ersthe average