ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 reviewed various policy recommendations associated with previous crises in education. Problems of American education, and their solutions, appeared akin to fashion fads, changing form quickly from one season to another. The current “crisis” is based on the assumption of a growing gap between current and past performance of students' achievement in schools as well as a lowered performance by contemporary American students compared internationally. In this chapter, we examine the relevant evidence. Do we need major school reform—charter schools and vouchers—to address a major and continuing erosion of student performance¿
