Abstract: Concerning the historical background and theoretical significance of “Progressive Education” in America, some post-modernist educational historians hold that the progressive education can be traced back to the Reformation period, and it has become symbiotic, in some ways, with the system of modern public education. As a transformation in education, it represents a continuous construction but not a theoretical revolution, with its core intent never changed since the Reformation. These new perspectives are worthy of attention and very enlightening to educators, especially researchers on history of education.

Key words: progressive education, educational reform, symbiotic relationships