The great promise of public education is equality—an excellent education for every child. And yet, theres a sense, from nearly every side of the debate, that America is falling short of that promise. In the first of a special six-part series, the origins of education in the ancient Mediterranean to trace how learning has changed from then to today. Also, how an economic mandate changed schooling in the 20th century, and new approaches that could define the future of education. Produced by Lilia Fuquen.