Summary of The Knowledge Deficit

The Knowledge Deficit, by education reformer E.D. Hirsch Jr., is an exploration of the current state of American education and the need for a more thorough grounding in basic knowledge. Hirsch argues that the current education system places too much emphasis on critical thinking skills while neglecting to provide students with the foundational knowledge they need to succeed. He cites a range of studies to demonstrate that students with higher levels of general knowledge perform better in school and on standardized tests. He goes on to propose a solution to the knowledge deficit – a curriculum based on the Core Knowledge Sequence that would provide students with a comprehensive and systematic education in the basics of language, history, geography, science, and the arts.