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Episode 1 — The Common School (1770 - 1890)
In the aftermath of the Revolution, a newly independent America came face-to-face with one of its most daunting challenges: how to build a united nation out of 13 colonies with little in common. Many citizens believed that education held the key. This episode profiles the passionate crusade launched by Thomas Jefferson, Horace Mann and others to create a common system of tax-supported schools that would mix people of different backgrounds and reinforce the bonds that tie Americans together. Would the grand experiment, with all of its flaws, succeed?
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Episode 2 — As American As Public School (1900 - 1950)
Between 1890 and 1930, nearly three million immigrant children arrived in the United States. For them, public schools offered a golden opportunity: a chance to be part of the American dream. This episode recalls the dramatic story of how massive immigration, child labor laws, and the explosive growth of cities fueled school attendance and transformed public education. Also explored are controversial IQ tests used to sort through growing numbers of students and high school classrooms that resonated with “life adjustment” lessons and Cold War politics.
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Episode 3 — Equality (1950 - 1980)
In the 1950s, America’s public schools were bursting with the promise of a new generation of post-war students, many of whom would graduate and go on to college. But that promise did not embrace everyone. This episode covers the tempestuous era when public schools became a major battleground in the fight for equality for minorities and women. Interviews with Linda Brown, the schoolgirl at the center of the 1954 Supreme Court battle over integration, and other equal rights pioneers bring the era and the struggle to vivid life.
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Episode 4 — The Bottom Line (1980 - the present)
In 1983, A Nation at Risk, a report launched by the Reagan Administration, shattered public confidence in America’s schools and sparked a new wave of education reform. This episode explores the wide range of “free-market” experiments that ensued — from vouchers and charter schools to privatization — all with the goal of meeting tough, new academic standards. Today, the debate rages on: Do these diverse strategies challenge our forefathers’ notion of a common school for all Americans? Or are they our only recourse in today’s complex society?
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