1. Karl Zinsmeister contends that the quality of American public education has declined since the mid-1960s. David C. Berliner disagrees, arguing that the overall quality of public education has actually improved since the 1970s. What evidence does each author present to support his conclusion? Whose argument is more persuasive? Why"

2. The authors in this chapter present several arguments describing the causes of what many consider to be a crisis in America’s public schools. Compare the various viewpoints, then formulate your own appraisal of the state of public education.