Abstract
This study endeavored to identify changes that are likely to occur in the American public high school between the years 1983 and 2010. The Delphi Technique was employed to determine: (1) what events are most likely to occur by the years 1990, 2000, and 2010 and (2) what degree of impact each event, if it actually occurs, would have on the curriculum content and/or instructional methodology of the high school. An open-ended questionnaire was followed by two iterative questionnaires. Twenty-two leading futurists, historians, and educators comprised the Delphi panel of experts. Events forecast to have the greatest probability of occurrence addressed increasing demands for greater excellence and level of student performance, national competency testing programs, teacher competency, standardized curricula, utilization of more advanced technological devices, computer literacy, and greater involvement of the private sector in the development of educational programs. Major changes can be expected to occur in the process and content of the high school program during the next twenty-seven years. The educational program will most likely become more diversified, provide more options for completing formal education, and rely more heavily on the utilization of various technological advances. A change in focus stressing high standards, infusion of the development of problem solving skills, and more involvement of the business and industrial communities can be expected. It is recommended that: (1) Administrators and other educators become actively involved in proposals to develop state-adopted curricula and graduation requirements; (2) Teachers become proficient in the use of micro-computers in the classroom-quickly; (3) Educators at all levels begin to plan for greater educational technology in the schools; and (4) Further studies be conducted utilizing a large sample of State Superintendent of Public Instruction.