Slides

1. PO 202
Spring 2017

6.  Goal #1: Educate Citizens
 Beginnings in Colonial America
 NorthwestOrdinance of 1787
 Goal #2: Advance Social Goals
 Inspire patriotism and promote good citizenship
 Goal #3: Strengthen the Economy
 Good Education  Economic Development
 Much rhetorical “evidence,” little statistical evidence

9.  Report on educational equality in the U.S.
 Debate about “school effects”
 What were the report’s results?
 Differences in quality of schools and teachers
(e.g. classroom size) little impact on achievement.
 Home environment (e.g. SES) more important in
determining outcomes.

11.  Educational Attainment
 Years of school completed NOT knowledge
 Disparities based on race, ethnicity, gender
 Dropout Rate
 Number not attending high school or HS Grad rate
 Measure of retention
 SAT and ACT Scores
 Verbal, math, science, etc. scores required for admissions to
many U.S. colleges/universities
 Criticized by educators

13. ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
EDUCATION ACT
 First breakthrough in
federal aid to education
 Focused on “poverty-
impacted” schools,
instructional materials,
and educational research
HEAD START
 Part of “War on Poverty”
 Prepare disadvantaged
children through federally
funded preschool programs
 Popular but mixed results

14.  Priority of George W. Bush administration
 Improve student performance through testing
 Reading/math standards; annual test to in 3rd-8th grades
 States determine how tests are designed and grading scale
for public schools
 Critiques of NCLB:
 Forces teachers to “teach to the test”
 Poor-performing schools should get more support and assistance
 Tests are racially biased

15.  Obama administration priority
 Reforms include:
 Tying teacher/admin pay to student test scores
 Use of International standards/benchmarks
 Data measuring students throughout career
 Opposition from NEA and AFT

17.  Common Core State Standards Initiative
 Main Components:
 Consistent learning expectations for all students
 Encouraging understanding over memorization
 Emphasis on critical topics needed post-HS
 Faster test results and online assessment system
 Goal: Provide teachers, parents, and students
with set of high standards