The United States is the richest country in the world, and yet, compared to the 26 developed countries in the world, ranks last in mathematics and fourth to last in reading. David Guggenheim’s documentary, “Waiting for Superman,” shines a light on why many of America’s public school systems produce such disappointing results.
This year, the Obama administration launched “Race to the Top,” a program designed to spark education reform and effective teaching practices by awarding states who make significant improvements in their education systems with a federal grant. Around the nation, teaching quality and student preparation have become a major concern as schools face increasing scrutiny.
In 1952, a rudimentary version of the Advanced Placement (AP) program was introduced, offering accelerated instruction in 11 areas at three different prep schools. The mission of the program, created by way of a grant from the Ford Foundation, was to allow high school students to complete college level coursework and, upon the completion of a standardized examination, receive college-credit. The program, in the hands of the College Board since 1955, now presents students with 30 different courses to choose from and students from across the country participate. In 2008, for example, more than 345,000 students took the AP U.S. History exam, which was the most popular.