Bringemovies
← Browse Movies
Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk
TITLE DETAILS

Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk

2005-09-08 · 120 min · Not rated

Documentary

Debunking commonly held notions about the rite of passage known as the college experience, this PBS documentary follows 30 students and their teachers along the path of higher education, from admission to graduation, and exposes the disappointment, disorientation and deflation many students feel -- in both public and private schools. This revealing study also addresses the quality and readiness of America's future work force.

Open detail page

Trailers are previews, not full movies.

No authorized playback source configured. Use the legal watch options below.

Production details

Directors
John Merrow
Production companies
Learning Matters, Inc.
Countries
United States of America
Status
Released

Top Cast

John MerrowSelf - Host
Jim LehrerJim LehrerSelf
Andre IguodalaAndre IguodalaSelf
Lute OlsonSelf
Frank DefordFrank DefordSelf

Title information and images are supplied by TMDb. Explore our discovery guide for advice on comparing metadata and legal viewing options.

Where to watch

Availability provided by JustWatch via TMDb. Offers can change. Provider links are listed on TMDb; full playback requires a separately authorized source.

Availability not listed for this country.

Recommendations

28 Up
★ 7.5
28 Up1985Documentary

Just two years away from turning 30, participants in Michael Apted's documentary series are facing serious questions of identity and purpose, wondering whether they've found their place in the world.

Come See Me in the Good Light
★ 7.1
Come See Me in the Good Light2025Documentary

In an intimate and joyful story of love in the face of loss, celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley find strength—and unexpected hilarity—in what might be their final year together.

As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty
★ 7.8
As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty2000Documentary

A compilation of over 30 years of private home movie footage shot by Lithuanian-American avant-garde director Jonas Mekas, assembled by Mekas "purely by chance", without concern for chronological order.

Western Stars
★ 7.0
Western Stars2019Documentary

The incomparable Bruce Springsteen performs his critically acclaimed latest album and muses on life, rock, and the American dream, in this intimate and personal concert film co-directed by Thom Zimny and Springsteen himself.

No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad
★ 8.5
No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad2013Documentary

A documentary about the making of season five of the acclaimed AMC series Breaking Bad.

My Mom Jayne
★ 8.0
My Mom Jayne2025Documentary

Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and complex woman.

One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5
★ 7.2
One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 52026Documentary

An inside look at the years of effort and craft that went into the final installment of the Duffer Brothers' generation-defining series.

42 Up
★ 7.6
42 Up1999Documentary

Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults after a 7 year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.

Harmontown
★ 6.6
Harmontown2014Documentary

A comedic, brutally honest documentary following self-destructive TV writer Dan Harmon as he takes his live podcast on a national tour.

180° South
★ 7.2
180° South2010Documentary

The film follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins to Patagonia.

Directed by John Ford
★ 7.0
Directed by John Ford1971Documentary

A documentary about the life and films of director John Ford.

35 Up
★ 7.6
35 Up1991Documentary

Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults after a 7 year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.

The Walking Dead: The Return
★ 7.4
The Walking Dead: The Return2024Documentary

Stars of "The Walking Dead," Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira, walk down memory lane and visit iconic locations where pivotal moments between their characters, Rick and Michonne, were filmed.

I Am Heath Ledger
★ 7.4
I Am Heath Ledger2017Documentary

The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.

The Curse of the Dragon
★ 7.2
The Curse of the Dragon1993Documentary

A 1993 documentary film about Bruce Lee. The film includes interviews from some of his fellow students and opponents who worked alongside him in his movies.

A Toxic Love Story
★ 6.4
A Toxic Love Story2026Documentary

A string of threatening emails escalates into a revenge plot involving a newly married US marshal and his ex-girlfriend.

Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return
★ 6.8
Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return2022Documentary

This special explores the return of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to the screen, as well as Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen to their classic roles. Director Deborah Chow leads the cast and crew as they create new heroes and villains that live alongside new incarnations of beloved Star Wars characters, and an epic story that dramatically bridges the saga films.

21 Up
★ 7.4
21 Up1977Documentary

After another 7 year wait, director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born children from Seven Up! and 7 Plus Seven. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.

Looking for Richard
★ 6.8
Looking for Richard1996Documentary

Al Pacino's deeply-felt rumination on Shakespeare's significance and relevance to the modern world through interviews and an in-depth analysis of "Richard III."

Marvel's Behind the Mask
★ 7.0
Marvel's Behind the Mask2021Documentary

A documentary special that explores the power of identity behind the iconic superheroes we know and love today. These legendary Marvel creations and stories have not only reflected the world outside our window – they have become a reflection of our own identities and who we truly are.

Similar titles

Chihuly Short Cuts III
Not rated
Chihuly Short Cuts III2014Documentary

For nearly half a century, Dale Chihuly has traveled the world, creating and installing his artwork. From sculptures to large-scale installations, his blown-glass works revolutionized the American studio glass movement. In Short Cuts III, Chihuly's role as both artist and teacher is revealed, uncovering the stories and the process behind some of his most celebrated projects, from working with students in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington, to exhibitions in prominent botanic gardens worldwide.

Poster unavailable
★ 6.5
Bente gaar til Sygeplejen1945Documentary

A movie about the education for nurse told from Bente's perspective. She starts at the preschool at Rødkilde Højskole at Møn and comes from there to a hospital, where student time begins. After three years, Bente is trained and can get the nursing needle attached to the robe.

Veronica
Not rated
Veronica1970Documentary

The film focuses on Veronica Glover, a black teenager who has been elected to the Student Congress of her predominantly white high school in New Haven, Connecticut. Hoping to use her position to encourage conversation between her black and white classmates, Veronica narrates her experience in voiceover as we see brief, revealing scenes from her life: a debate in an African Literature class, discussions with her friends, and time spent with a teacher/counselor.

Poster unavailable
Not rated
Dance for All2007Documentary

Megg - The Margin Who Migrate to the Center
Not rated
Megg - The Margin Who Migrate to the Center2018Documentary

Megg Rayara overcame obstacles that should not exist to get where she is. Get a Doctorate Degree is a very important victory not only for her, but also for the transvestite community. For the first time in Brazil, a black transvestite wins a Doctorate Degree. It is the margin that migrates to the center, taking all its history with her.

Desconectados: Os Impactos da Pandemia na Educação Brasileira
Not rated
Desconectados: Os Impactos da Pandemia na Educação Brasileira2022Documentary

Lo spazio che vive I 75 anni del CEIS di Rimini
Not rated
Lo spazio che vive I 75 anni del CEIS di Rimini2022Documentary

Backpack Full of Cash
Not rated
Backpack Full of Cash2016Documentary

Documentary warning about the decline of American public schools as they become more and more privatized.

Poster unavailable
Not rated
Makoko: Futures Afloat2016Documentary

In Makoko, a neglected fishing community in Lagos, Nigeria built on stilts, community members struggle to get children access to education.

Our People Will Be Healed
★ 5.7
Our People Will Be Healed2017Documentary

Legendary documentary filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin provides a glimpse of what action-driven decolonization looks like in Norway House, one of Manitoba's largest First Nation communities.

Not Even in a Wildest Dream
★ 9.0
Not Even in a Wildest Dream2017Documentary

The challenges of the present, expectations for the future, and the dreams of those who experience the reality of public high school in Brazil. Through the voices of students, principals, teachers and experts, "Not Even In a Wildest Dream" offers a reflection on the value of education.

First Case, Second Case
★ 7.2
First Case, Second Case1979Documentary

A documentary about a teacher who sends a group of pupils out of the classroom when one of them does not own up to talking behind the master's back.

Artificial Roles
Not rated
Artificial Roles2025Documentary

Artificial intelligence is taking on different roles in the filmmaking space. The questions we must ask ourselves are: what are the pros and cons of this advancement? How can we work with it, and what power do we have as human beings in the face of this technology?

Nursery University
★ 5.9
Nursery University2008Documentary

Set in New York City, the epicenter of a phenomenon cropping up in communities across the United States, "Nursery University" reveals the oddly competitive process of nursery school admissions. The film tells the story of five families attempting to place their toddlers in preschool classrooms that have limited space and high price tags.

Poster unavailable
★ 9.0
Rise Above the Mark2012Documentary

The purpose of Rise Above the Mark, narrated by Peter Coyote, is to educate the general public about the “corporate takeover” of Indiana public schools and what parents, community members and educators can do to protect their local public schools. Legislators are calling the shots and putting public schools in an ever-shrinking box. WLCSC Board of School Trustees and Superintendent of Schools, Rocky Killion, want to secure resources and legislative relief necessary to achieve the school district’s mission of creating a world-class educational system for all children. The school district’s strategic plan will introduce a model of education that puts decision making back into the hands of local communities and public school teachers, rather than leaving it in the hands of legislators and ultimately lining the pockets of corporations.

When It Breaks
Not rated
When It Breaks2020Documentary

When It Breaks is the inspiring story of Special Education teacher Konrad Wert and his personal journey to avoid becoming another victim of teacher burnout. Stepping away from the classroom, Wert turns to his musical side career as a means to tour the country with his family and engage teachers, parents, and audiences in a conversation about the current state of Public Education, and specifically Special Education. As opportunities arise, Konrad must decide how his service is most effective- as an advocating artist or as a teacher in the classroom.

To Be and to Have
★ 7.3
To Be and to Have2002Documentary

The documentary's title translates as "to be and to have", the two auxiliary verbs in the French language. It is about a primary school in the commune of Saint-Étienne-sur-Usson, Puy-de-Dôme, France, the population of which is just over 200. The school has one small class of mixed ages (from four to twelve years), with a dedicated teacher, Georges Lopez, who shows patience and respect for the children as we follow their story through a single school year.

Poster unavailable
Not rated
Naše lesy ožívajú1949Documentary

Survival!
Not rated
Survival!1980Documentary

Survival! is a 22-minute, Alan Madison-directed instructional wilderness survival film focusing on safety techniques. It is often described as a surprisingly cinematic, educational piece. Four scenarios depict the dangers of hyperthermia and hypothermia and how common sense, being prepared and following a few important tips can save your life: Scenario 1: A fisherman falls in icy water and suffers from hypothermia. Scenario 2: An unprepared family hikes into the mountains and is surprised by a sudden change in the weather. Scenario 3: A couple guys make multiple mistakes in the desert and experience the consequences. Scenario 4: A hunter gets lost in the forest during a winter storm.

Kindergarten
★ 9.0
Kindergarten1963Documentary

One day in a kindergarten classroom at Van Horne Public School in Montreal. The teacher encourages children to turn their curiosity into questions and organizes group activities and play periods.

Your favorites

Recently viewed

Watch

Choose an authorized server.

Full video from an operator-configured authorized source. Official trailers use a separate player. If a server fails, retry or select another authorized server.

Legal watch options

Official trailer

Trailer preview only. Press Play to start.

Privacy choices

Favorites stay in your browser. Movie images load from TMDb. YouTube trailers contact YouTube only after you allow external media and choose a trailer. Advertising consent, if ads are enabled, is managed separately by the operator’s certified CMP.

Privacy policy

After allowing external media, choose the trailer button to load its player.