Do students today know more than in past?

I don’t know about you, but I tire of hearing how terrible public schools are and how charter schools will solve all public-sector educational problems.

Recently, I attended a celebration with family and friends. One of my friends asked if students know less now than in the past, because he had been told by several college professors that this was the case – “Students don’t know anything anymore.” I assured him that was not the case. I had read enough Gerald Bracey to know that the basic trend nationally was upward and had seen OSPI (Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction) reports...