Society's reliance on schools to properly educate our children is occurring in a period of unprecedented social, scientific and technological change. Urbanization continues at a rapid rate. Cultural pluralism increases. Family stability decreases. Knowledge doubles every three years.
Technology changes lives daily.
This is the environment in which schools attempt to prepare the citizens of tomorrow. Unfortunately, schools and university programs that prepare teachers do not reflect this changing environment. Colleges and universities must intensify their efforts to prepare educators to lead our schools into the next century. With this in mind, a small group of university presidents and deans of education met in May 1989 to address the role of schools in this process. It was important that the president of the institution and the dean of education both be involved.