A Nation at Risk

Part 1:

A Nation at Risk was and is a document that in essence gave/gives a call to arms to wake up the American nation in regards to mediocrity within education. The report changed high schools to include more necessary core classes for the American high school student and brought about other forms of changes for American schools. It has brought about both negative and positive results in the reform towards successful education of all students. It was imperative to bring about awareness of the decline in educational results, but the modes of transition are still in need of great adjustments. Overall, the A Nation at Risk document set in motion the road for alteration within the American education system which proves to still be of essence today.

After the report many changes were incorporated into the American schools. Immediately following the report, the government set minimum state and local high school graduation requirements to provide heavy doses of English, math, science, social studies, and for the college-bound student, 2 years of a foreign language. The Department of Education released another document call A Nation Accountable, twenty-five years later. It states as of 2005 almost 65% of high school graduates were taking this recommended course work which was four times the amount of those in 1983. In the report, it discussed these alterations to include the states having had developed content standards and tests that report students' knowledge, beginning of state and local academic standards and standards-based testing, federal legislation requiring the states receiving federal aid for education to have these academic standards and tests in certain grades, as well as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. All of these changes ensued in response to the call to reform by A Nation at Risk.

A Nation at Risk brought about all these changes, whether they are having positive or negative effects is another question in and of itself. Some negative outcomes may be all the red tape and stress that is brought about in regards to so much documentation and testing of the students. The accountability structures that have been set in place in regards to educators has increased, which can creates stress to point of asking the question as to whether or not teachers are able to provide the support necessary in the classroom to help students become successful without focusing too much on teaching to the test or whether or not they will lose their job. This trails down to the student which can create a less productive learning environment. Some positive outcomes are that more is being done to try to change the declining standards of education and the need for reform has been awakened. There is much at debate when it comes to what transitions are the best to be incorporated into the American education system, but without such a report as A Nation at Risk, it is possible that no changes may ever have been considered important.

A Nation at Risk proved to be imperative to stimulate change throughout the United States education. To this day, A Nation at Risk is still debated over and discussed as to the correct course the nation should take in regards to making the changes necessary to create the education that will bring about the desired results of necessary preparation of future generations. So far none of the changes at hand have brought about the complete desired results of neither the report nor the status to which the American government is requiring education to coincide. For instance the NCLB is great in regards to the idea of accountability, but how it is structured in going about holding educators responsible is greatly flawed. A Nation at Risk has definitely created quite a stir, but there is much to be done to gain the necessary results into what is the right way for students to acquire the best education for all the involved.

Largely, A Nation at Risk gained much attention, focusing the American nation to the fact that education needs to evolve with the times. How the report went about stating what should be done and the changes that have ensued is under much debate. It is imperative to look at results and hold educational structures accountable, but the modes of these transitions should not create further breakdown. A Nation at Risk is certainly important for educational structures to discuss and adjust.

Part 2:

The impact that A Nation at Risk has had on American education in the aftermath of its release has been great. The report is still at the forethought of education throughout the nation. Some positive effects include national awareness of transitioning to necessary levels of higher standards and accountability. Negative effects which have ensued in regards to these changes in response to answer the call of the report, are still in need of great modification. However, A Nation at Risk has had tremendous implications in the process of evolving American education.

A Nation at Risk has been and is presently referred to in regards to the nation's education and is a topic for much debate. Twenty-five years later in 2008, a twenty-five page report called A Nation Accountable was created in response to the results of reform since the time of the original report in 1983. The report states the U.S. nation is still a nation at risk, but is now, also, a nation informed, accountable, and recognizes there is much work to be done. The report summarizes that education is still not keeping up with the ever growing desired results set forth, but since the NCLB, there is actual data to be able to take a comprehensive look into schools, and further more consider structural reforms to go beyond the current efforts of the day. References to A Nation at Risk are, also, presently seen on newsreview.com published on July 28, 2011 and on the website choiceineducation.org August 1, 2011. Youtube.com as well, has several videos of congressional officials in debate over the report and the changes that need to be made. A Nation at Risk is a report that is viewed with the utmost importance in how to solve the American educational crisis.

The positive effects of A Nation at Risk are in much debate. Some, such as printed in the Peabody Journal of Education, believe the report to have been "wrong reasoning resulting in right results." There is no doubt that there has been a propelling of serious movement towards the much needed restructuring of American education since the report. This has ensured that education begin to receive the much needed attention on reform in creating an education that is conducive in preparing present students for the future in regards to all aspects that have were addressed in the report such as personally as well as economically. Another important positive outcome that was a result of A Nation