Various attempts to reform the American education system have so far been largely unsuccessful, which is why since the mid-1990s, new strategies for system reform have been sought. The approaches to improving the American school system that have been initiated since then are based on three different strategies. These are, first, further standardization of student performance as well as teacher training and professional development; second, the privatization of many sectors of public education; and third, the implementation of free market mechanisms within the school system. This study aims to present the new developments while also subjecting them to critical analysis.