Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction to education reform -- The law and education reform -- Chronology -- Biographical listing -- Glossary -- How to research education reform issues -- Annotated bibliography -- Organizations and agencies -- Excerpts from Cardinal principles of secondary education, 1918 -- President Lyndon B. Johnson's remarks upon signing the Elementary and Secondary Education Bill (HR 2362), April 11, 1965 -- Excerpts from A nation at risk, National Commission on Excellence in Education, April 1983 -- Excerpt from GOALS 2000 : Educate America Act, January 25, 1994 -- Excerpts from Susan Tave Zelman, Superintendent of Public Instruction of Ohio, et al. v. Doris Simmons-Harris et al., June 27, 2002 -- U.S. Secretary of Education's overview of key policy provisions in No Child Left Behind Act, July 24, 2002 -- Statistics state charter enrollment and operation.

Americans widely agree that schools play an essential role in shaping the nation's future but disagree about education-related issues ranging from assimilation of immigrants and opportunity for the poor to the role of the federal government and the constitutional rights of parents and children. Today the debates on education reform center on teacher preparation and incentives, standardized testing, charter schools, homeschooling, school choice, class size, and discipline. The book examines these and other complex issues surrounding this timely issue. --from publisher description