What is the purpose of school? In this site, we take a research-based approach to exploring this question. Through our own empirical research and reviews of educational philosophy, case law, state constitutions, and surveys of business/industry, we find that most schools (in the USA) serve a wide variety of purposes.
The most common purposes of K-12 schools in the United States include:
- Civic development
- Emotional development
- Cognitive development
- Vocational development
- Social development
The resources provided on this website may be especially useful for those tasked with revising their school mission statement and those grappling with how to demonstrate, via assessment, whether the school is succeeding in achieving its educational mission.