Ravitch, Diane (1938-)

Born in 1938 in Houston, Texas, Ravitch attended Wellesley College, thereafter earning her Ph.D. from Columbia University. Currently, she is a research professor of education at New York University. She served in the senior Bush administration and during the Clinton presidency. Ravitch was assistant secretary of education from 1991 to 1993. She is a nonresident senior fellow for both the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., and the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Her numerous prestigious awards, board positions, as well as honorary doctorates have been in [Page 755]recognition of her substantial contributions to educational policy and reform.

Some label Ravitch an independent, whereas others view her as a moderate-conservative on the spectrum of politics. The themes of her prolific writings focus on American educational history and school standards. Her knowledge of New York City public schools is extensive. Additional areas of focus for Ravitch include ensuring that the United States has effectively educated its citizens, especially the young people matriculating through elementary and secondary schools. Ravitch has also focused attention on ensuring that teachers are intellectually and pedagogically equipped to effectively communicate disciplinary content. She credits Lawrence Cremin, noted educator, historian, and past president of Teachers College of Columbia University, for influencing her work. This entry highlights Ravitch's prominent position within American public education regarding the need for a standardized national curriculum, testing methods to determine what students actually learn, and the pitfalls of self-censorship and language control.