In 1983 the National Commission on Excellence in Education issued a report calling for the total reassessment of policy and curriculum governing American education. The commission's findings were met with impassioned interest and volcanic debate. Seemingly overnight, the "education crisis" became a battleground on which citizens, education professionals and numerous organized groups fought for America's children. Nowhere is this more evident than in the compilation of essays contained in "Excellence in Education". Five areas of investigation are focused upon in this comprehensive volume: an overview of the debate occasioned by the report; a consideration of the social, political, and economic content of the report; how reform will affect policies initiated in the 60's and 70's; how reforms impact on curriculum, teacher preparation, and student success; and the historical implications of past reform movements in education.