WHAT IS HIGH SCHOOL TODAY?
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| Title: | WHAT IS HIGH SCHOOL TODAY? |
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| Authors: | Hornbeck, Dustin (AUTHOR) d.hornbeck@memphis.edu |
| Source: | Phi Delta Kappan. Spring2026, Vol. 107 Issue 5/6, p46-50. 5p. 2 Color Photographs. |
| Subject Terms: | *Segregation in education, *School choice, *Dual school enrollment, *Educational objectives, *Educational change, *School-based management, *Civics education |
| Abstract: | The article examines the transformation of the American comprehensive high school from James B. Conant’s 1959 vision of a democratic institution fostering shared civic identity into a fragmented system focused on individualized credentials. It traces how racial segregation, cultural shifts, economic changes, and political reforms have eroded the common curriculum and civic mission, leading to a patchwork of school choice options, dual enrollment programs, and outsourced educational experiences. This decentralization challenges the high school’s role as a public space for cross-class and cross-racial engagement, with civic education increasingly sidelined in favor of college and career preparation. The article concludes by questioning whether and how the democratic ideals of the public high school can be revived amid contemporary social and educational complexities. [Extracted from the article] |
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| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | The article examines the transformation of the American comprehensive high school from James B. Conant’s 1959 vision of a democratic institution fostering shared civic identity into a fragmented system focused on individualized credentials. It traces how racial segregation, cultural shifts, economic changes, and political reforms have eroded the common curriculum and civic mission, leading to a patchwork of school choice options, dual enrollment programs, and outsourced educational experiences. This decentralization challenges the high school’s role as a public space for cross-class and cross-racial engagement, with civic education increasingly sidelined in favor of college and career preparation. The article concludes by questioning whether and how the democratic ideals of the public high school can be revived amid contemporary social and educational complexities. [Extracted from the article] |
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| ISSN: | 00317217 |
