WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION

Agenda

The White Conference on Education, held 28 November-1 December 1955, was the first of its kind. It involved citizens and educators in a study of current educational problems. Money had been allocated earlier in the year for each state to hold its own conference, culminating with the national event. The agenda comprised six topics: (1) What should the schools accomplish? (2) In what ways can the schools be operated more efficiently and economically? (3) What are the school building needs? (4) How can enough good teachers be secured and kept on the job? (5) How can the schools be financed, built, and operated? and (6) How can a continuing public interest in education be obtained?

Plan

The conference produced a plan for Congress to fund. HEW Secretary Folsom planned to design a proposals around three principles: (1) state and local efforts should not be reduced by federal aid for school buildings; (2) need should be the basis for assistance; and (3) local school-system freedom should be maintained. The third point resulted from fears about the federal government's intrusion into education and the loss of local control.

Report

A report on the conference appeared in April 1956. It contended that "The schools have fallen far behind both the aspirations of the American people and their capabilities … There is growing resolve throughout the nation to close the gap between educational ideals and educational realities." Overall, the conference set the tone for education-funding requests for the coming years and further pushed the federal government into the domain of state control over education.