Karl Zinsmeister

In the following viewpoint, Karl Zinsmeister argues that the caliber of American public education has declined since the mid1960s. He reports that a drop in the average SAT score, as well as recently documented gaps in general knowledge among high school students, reveal a deterioration in the quality of education. Antitraditional school reforms, lowered standards, lightweight curricula, and undemanding coursework have created this crisis in public education, Zinsmeister contends. Zinsmeister is editor-in-chief of the American Enterprise, a conservative journal of opinion.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Between the mid-1960s and the mid-1990s, by how many points did SAT scores fall, according to Zinsmeister"

2. According to the U.S. Secretary of Education, cited by the author, what percentage of American high school seniors can read at their grade level...