Public school education may be on the verge of more revolutionary change than has occurred during the history of its existence. It may even face modification, or a move away from the mandate to provide common public education for all students. This is a critical time for the American educational system. There are a number of important issues that need to be explored and reflected upon before decisions are made that impact both staff and students, as well as the community as a whole. The issues at the top of the list include: (1) the role of technology, (2) the possibility of the extended use vouchers and increased use of private schools,(3) the funding problems that public schools face as taxpayers rebel against fully funding services, and (4) the demand for effectiveness. Each of these has a major impact on the management of human resources. In general, the issues facing public education mean that schools, and teachers, will be held more accountable by communities to ensure that students score high on quantitative outcome measures. This seems to be the focus of the rebellion. Parents and communities are demanding that students score high on standardized tests, learn the basics, and prove that they are able to perform. This is the impetus for charter schools, the use of vouchers, and increased adoption of technology in education. There is a demand for increased quality in education, although not the will to pay much more for it.
As Crisci et al (1987) noted, the decade of the 1980s was the decade in which the public became increasingly discontented about the failings of the public school system. A number of national reports indicated that students were not learning what they needed to learn and that the schools themselves were in crisis. However, the answers to the problem were not as clear. In addition, taxpayers showed themselves increasingly unwilling to fund schools at the level that educators insisted was necessary....