Report	Major Points
A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983)	"Mediocrity," not excellence is the status quo in education Recommends include the following: - improved standards - more time for learning - better textbooks - more homework - higher expectations - more stringent attendance policies - salaries, rewards, & incentives for teachers
A Place Called School: Prospects for the Future (Goodlad, 1983)	Changes are needed in schools Recommends include the following: - smaller schools - cease tracking policies - core curriculum in high schools
Time for Results: The Governors' 1991 Report (National Governors' Association, 1986)	Identifies issues in education for a five year period Issues to address include improvements in: - clear, meaningful, educational goals - strategies for the poor & early educational experiences for children at-risk - parental choice of schools - college education - teacher pay & educational recruitment
Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1989)	Supports early adolescence (ages 10-14) as key period for development and decision-making which impact the future Proposes need to reorganize middle schools to make them more developmentally appropriate Addresses need for specific practices to improve outcomes for at-risk youth Recommendations include: - Establishing a core of common knowledge - creating communities for learning - opportunities for all students to succeed - involving of parents/families - improving teacher preparation for this level and strengthened roles of teachers and principals in planning & decision-making - addressing the health and fitness needs of youth - connecting schools with communities
Transforming Education: Overcoming Barriers (National Governors' Association, 1993)	This report evaluates previous reform efforts and concludes a lack of adequate progress toward identified recommendations Barriers to progress identified include: - weak incentives for change - lack of clear directions - poor communication - limited learning opportunities for educators

¹ Adapted From Synthesis Provided In: Ysseldyke, J. E., Algozzine, B., & Thurlow, M. L. (2000). Critical issues in special education (3^rd ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Resources:

Goodlad, J. I. (1983). A place called school: Prospects for the future. New York: McGraw-Hill.

National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983). A nation at risk: The imperative for education reform. Washington, D. C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.

National Governors' Association. (1986). Time for results: The governors' 1991 report on education. Washington, D.C.: Author.

National Governors' Association (1993). Transforming education: Overcoming barriers. Washington, D.C.: Author.

Task Force on Education of Young Adolescents (1989). Turning points: Preparing American youth for the 21^st century. Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development.