BECAUSE AMERICANS HAVE so many different expectations for education, it is sometimes difficult to determine just how well schools are doing today. Certain undesirable qualities have been defined, but few schools are troubled by all of them, just as few schools are problem free. Most can be said to do an adequate job in some areas and a less than adequate job in others. For instance, a school might have talented teachers but poor administrators, an excellent curriculum but overcrowded facilities.

In spite of the difficulties, there are several common standards by which some people judge schools. The first standard is the success of students—how many graduate, find careers, contribute to the community, and act as responsible citizens. Considering the millions of young people who are successful, a great number of schools must be doing a...