Deliberate Dumbing Down of America Public Education

270 for Supervision and Curriculum Development; International Reading Association [which was the prime mover behind the dumb-down Whole Language reading instruction, ed.]; and the National Education Association. Other statements on the conference promotional flyer included: The 1990 World Conference on Education for All represented an important milestone in edu cation development. Convened by the executive heads of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Educa tional, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Bank, the conference called on all nations to take effective action to meet the basic learning needs of children, youth and adults in all countries of the world.... The World Conference defined basic learning needs as the essential learning tools—such as literacy, oral expression, numeracy, and problem-solving—and basic learning content—re quired by all people to develop their full capacities, to live and work in dignity, to participate fully in development, to improve the quality of their lives, to make informed decisions, and to continue learning. T HE M ARCH 28, 1990 ISSUE OF E DUCATION W EEK RE - PUBLISHED “A R OAD M AP FOR R E structuring Schools,” a one-page list of principles of restructuring and steps for policy makers to use. Developed by the Education Commission of the States (ECS) and the National Governors’ As sociation (NGA) and signed by Jane Armstrong, director of policy studies for ECS, this “Road Map” was a result of two regional workshops to discuss strategies for redesigning state edu cation systems to meet national performance goals. Excerpts follow: PRINCIPLES OF RESTRUCTURING... Restructuring requires risk-taking and experi mentation in order to transform schools into dynamic, self-renewing organiz ations.... STEPS FOR POLICY MAKERS TO TAKE... Develop a specific and demanding statement of what basic skills, thinking skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviors you want all students to have when they complete school…. • Student outcomes should meet employability criteria suggested by business and industry. • Build a coalition of business, community, education and political leaders… to bring external pressure on the education system for productive change. • Sell the agenda to policy makers and the public. • Identify and train spokespersons to advocate system restructuring. • Get business and political leaders to carry the restructuring banner. • Provide flexibility, encourage experimentation and decentralize decision making.

• Use incentives to encourage risk taking and experimentation. • Decentralize authority by encouraging site-based management. • Redesign teacher and administrator education.

• Redesign teacher education to model instruction for an active learning classroom. • Develop programs that focus on content knowledge and new forms of pedagogy.