In 1920, there were only 52 junior colleges in the United States and only 8,000 students. Today there are over 1,200 two-year institutions with over 4,000,000 students in attendance. All but nine of the nation's congressional districts have at least one community college. Today, more than one third of the nation's undergraduates are enrolled in…

Dan Dunham, my Deputy Commissioner, and I agreed on six top priorities for occupational and adult education to guide our administration in the days ahead. First, we agreed that we must continue to expand access. Second, we must have equity of opportunity. Third, we must develop better accountability and data systems in vocational education. As a…

Current curricula in institutions of higher education are criticized in this speech for their lack of a common core of education. Several possibilities for developing such a common core include education centered around our common heritage and the challenges of the present. It is suggested that all students must be introduced to the events,…

This paper expresses the need for the federal government, specifically the U.S. Office of Education, to promote the cause of the arts in education. The Office of Education needs to declare that art is an essential part of the common core of education, particularly at this time, when there is growing skepticism concerning the effectiveness of…

Higher education's responsibilities to the nation's schools include becoming active partners in making children "school ready," meeting the needs of teachers in elementary and secondary education through education and new research, increasing school accountability by reexamining the outcomes of formal education, and improving teacher status. (JB)