Social Studies Report Roundup

Public Schools’ Role

February 02, 2007 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Public schools play a vital role in promoting the common good in American society, a report by the Washington-based Center on Education Policy says.

Unifying a diverse population, preparing students for citizenship in a democratic society, improving social conditions, ensuring equality for all children, and teaching students to be economically self-sufficient are public school goals that coincide with the betterment of society, according to the report. It traces the history and evolution of public schools in the United States from the mid-19th century to the present.

“Why We Still Need Public Schools: Public Education for the Common Good” is posted by the Center on Education Policy.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the February 21, 2007 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Decision Time: The Future of Teaching and Learning in the AI Era
The AI revolution is already here. Will it strengthen instruction or set it back? Join us to explore the future of teaching and learning.
Content provided by HMH
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Stop the Drop: Turn Communication Into an Enrollment Booster
Turn everyday communication with families into powerful PR that builds trust, boosts reputation, and drives enrollment.
Content provided by TalkingPoints
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Special Education Webinar
Integrating and Interpreting MTSS Data: How Districts Are Designing Systems That Identify Student Needs
Discover practical ways to organize MTSS data that enable timely, confident MTSS decisions, ensuring every student is seen and supported.
Content provided by Panorama Education

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Social Studies Opinion Patriotism Done Right: We Can't Lecture Teens Into Loving Our Country
Many teachers long to restore students’ trust in our institutions—but how we do so matters.
Fernande Raine & Susan Rivers
5 min read
Young girl holding a small, drooping flag standing in a crowd of people.
E+
Social Studies What National Endowment for the Humanities Cuts Could Mean for Social Studies Teachers
The agency made grants for professional development and supported nationwide history education programs. Now these offerings may disappear.
9 min read
 Knowledge mechanism. Business people and connect gear mechanisms.
Liz Yap/Education Week and iStock/Getty
Social Studies Opinion How to Empower Students Right Now, According to a Teacher
With social and political unrest, teachers must draw from the past to help students understand the world today.
5 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Social Studies Oklahoma Draft Standards Ask Students to Find 2020 Election 'Discrepancies'
The standards intimate that the 2020 presidential election results might not be trustworthy.
4 min read
Ryan Walters, Republican state superintendent candidate, speaks, June 28, 2022, in Oklahoma City.
Ryan Walters, then a Republican candidate for the state superintendent of education, speaks at an event June 28, 2022, in Oklahoma City. While leading the state education department, he has overseen a draft of the state's social studies standards that critics say distorts the role of Christianity in the nation's founding and suggest that the 2020 presidential election had "discrepancies."
Sue Ogrocki/AP