When the U.S. Department of Education came into existence in 1980, there were those who decried the day and predicted that it would lead to education becoming a highly politicized federal issue. One need only to have listened to the Presidential Debates tonight to see those predictions borne out in ways that were beyond anyone s imagination 20 years ago. Another major problem with these new approaches to the Federal role is that they blur the lines of authority and accountability. We should also be concerned about the potential implications of some of these actions for the future.
Education is the future of our nation.
These questions must be answered. High quality instruction in the liberal arts must be provided to all students, without exception, including English, mathematics, history, government, geography, the sciences, foreign languages, and the arts. Clear standards, aligned to appropriate curriculum, and rigorous assessment and accountability systems must be used as a measure of each student s progress in order to ensure that our schools are working. Effective teachers who know their subjects and can help their students reach the high standards set, as well as family involvement, are the keys to increasing student achievement. Founded in 1956, CBE has earned a reputation as an impartial critic of education reform and as a leading proponent of rigorous academic standards for all students in the basic subjects.