Promise & Hope of

Education in American
Public Schools
Nathan L. Tamborello
CUIN 7304
The University of Houston
What Do We Promise the People?
From the advent of our nation, our founding fathers believed that education was
critical for democracy and for avoiding an “aristocracy of wealth”. So what did the
Founding Fathers promise about education?

- Education should be available to all

- it should be free from religion and ideology

- it should be equal for all citizens

- it should be public

- the investment was worth the cost.

- “If Virtue & Knowledge are diffused among
the People, they will never be enslav'd. This
will be their great Security” - Samuel Adams
in a letter to James Warren

- “...a system of general instruction, which

shall reach every description of our citizens,
from the richest to the poorest, as it was the
earliest, so will it be the latest, of all the
public concerns.” - Thomas Jefferson, in a
letter to Joseph C. Cabell
What Are Ways That We Are Fulfilling Our
Promise?
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (NCLB) ACT

- Included Title I provisions applying to disadvantaged

students

- Supported standards-based education reform on the

premise that setting high standards and establishing
measurable goals could improve individual outcomes in
education

- showed a marked improvement of learning and a closing

of the achievement gap between white students and
student of colour

- “results indicate that NCLB generated statistically

significant increases in the average math performance of
fourth graders (effect size 5 0.23 by 2007) as well as
improvements at the lower and top percentiles. There is
also evidence of improvements in eighth-grade math
What Are Ways That We Are Fulfilling Our
Promise?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA - 1990)

- IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to more
than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.

- As of 2012, about 5.8 million school-age children in the United States receive special education services as a result of IDEA.
More than 40 percent—roughly 2.3 million—are students identified with a specific learning disability.

- “Individuals with disabilities deserve full participation and an equal opportunity, but full participation and equal
opportunity do not necessarily equate to inclusive school settings and general education curriculum. Providing the “same”
is not providing equal opportunity, and full participation should be focused on providing classes and environments that
work on developing the knowledge and skills necessary for post-school opportunities rather than just traditional high
school courses. The focus of secondary education should be to prepare students for the life after school, and for students
with mild mental impairment this includes full participation in the community and an equal opportunity to succeed in
work, independent living, and social activities. By utilizing a functional curriculum in school, students with mild mental
impairment would have increased access to community settings, vocational opportunities, development of social skills and
self-determination. By gaining these experiences, skills, and knowledge prior to leaving school and entering the work force,
and/or independent living situations, students with mild mental impairment can increase the potential for successful
What Are Ways That We Are Fulfilling Our
Promise?
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA - 1965)

- passed as a part of United States President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" and has been the most far-reaching federal
legislation affecting education ever passed by the United States Congress.

- emphasizes equal access to education and establishes high standards and accountability.

- aims to shorten the achievement gaps between students by providing each child with fair and equal opportunities to achieve an
exceptional education.

- funds are authorized for professional development, instructional materials, for resources to support educational programs, and for
parental involvement promotion.

- In 1965, ESEA channeled approximately $1 billion in funds directly to school districts and schools. While distribution of ESEA federal
funds was based largely on child poverty data, ESEA-related services were made available to children on the basis of educational need
(Jennings, 2001).
How Do We Provide Hope For the Future?
In our ever-changing face of Public Education, especially now with a Secretary of
Education who believes in the privatization of education, we must remain vigilant and
continue the work that was entrusted to us when the Founding Fathers created this
Nation. We must ensure that we continue to provide quality education to every man,
woman and child who is endowed with inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness, regardless of socioeconomic status, gender, sexuality, creed, ethnicity, or
any other factors.

“We have an obligation and a responsibility to be investing in our students and our
schools. We must make sure that people who have the grades, the desire and the will,
but not the money, can still get the best education possible.” - Barack Obama
REFERENCES
Bouck, E. C. (2009). No Child Left Behind, the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act and Functional Curricula. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities,
44(1), 3-13.

Dee, T., & Jacob, B.A. (2011). The Impact of the No Child Left Behind Act on Student
Achievement. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 30(3), 418-446.

Jennings, J. F. (2000). Title I: Its legislative history and its promise. Phi Delta Kappan,
81(7), 26-42.