While Great Society programs of the 1960s sought to expand education for the poor by increasing the role of the federal government, the 1980s marked a historic shift in policy by limiting the federal government’s role and spending on education. This, along with issues such as school choice, standard-based learning, and teacher accountability, remains at the forefront of the debate over education in America.

You will be assigned topics that reflect the issues surrounding American educational policy from 1960–1990. Use what you have learned to write a newspaper editorial expressing your opinion on one of the topics below. To prepare your editorial, you will research the changing role of the federal government in improving education, as well as policy changes and controversies over teacher accountability, school choice, and textbook and curriculum issues. You will then create a political cartoon that illustrates your opinion on the topic.

Look at the photograph below. Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper.

Depiction of a traditional American classroom, Iowa, 1939.

• How does this classroom differ from the public school classrooms of today?
• What do you notice about the population of students?
• What might this tell you about access to education for minorities during the time period?

Use the Daily Life through History articles listed on the right to research American educational policy between 1960 and 1990. Examine the Timeline. As you read, keep your assigned topic in mind. Remember that your report will need to include specific details about the changing culture of education through the decades, the issues confronting educational reform, and the role and effects of federal government involvement.

Use 2-Column Table to take notes as you research your topic. One column should be used to list facts about your topic. In the other column, you should list your opinions.

Write an editorial expressing your opinion on the topic. Remember to mention specific facts from the readings that support your opinion. Your opinion should also be expressed in the political cartoon you will create to accompany your editorial. Your teacher may ask you to share your work with the class.

Your teacher will use these questions to assess your performance:

• Did your editorial clearly express an opinion on the assigned topic?
• Did you provide specific facts from your research to substantiate your opinion?
• Did the political cartoon reflect your opinion about the topic?
• Did you share your opinion with the class?