Sputnik in Reverse: Cutting Funding for Advanced Learning in Texas
Justin Vawter2019-11-06T12:11:18-06:00Sputnik in Reverse: Cutting Funding for Advanced Learning in Texas by Justin Vawter When Sputnik floated by, the U.S. panicked--how could we be behind the USSR in the Space Race? The United States immediately began to examine the quality of its schooling. One year later, the National Defense Education Act established the first federally-funded gifted & talented program. Now, those kids who tinker, create, and (in the process) almost blow themselves up aren’t expelled, they’re hired by NASA. Since Sputnik and the Education Act, the question of what makes someone gifted or talented has waivered and fluctuated--but here’s a simple [...]