ABSTRACT
For over 3 decades, American education has been the target of persistent charges that it is placing our nation at risk, by failing to instill the academic skills needed by U.S. corporations to compete with foreign interests. Like the earlier accusations, the most recent blue-ribbon indictment (Gardner, 1983) was readily accepted by both politicians and educational leaders. Once again academic debate turned to charges and countercharges of who or what was responsible for the persistent decline of academic excellence.
