Question 1

Typical school reform movements

Accepted Answer

A)  result in restructuring efforts of various kinds. 
B)  build up to a time of consensus-building centered around changes in economic and social circumstances. 
C)  begin with a perceived change in social conditions. 
D)  All these answers are correct. 
A)  result in restructuring efforts of various kinds. 
B)  build up to a time of consensus-building centered around changes in economic and social circumstances. 
C)  begin with a perceived change in social conditions. 
D)  All these answers are correct. D

Question 2

Many teachers feel alienated from the school reform movement and prefer to remain uninvolved in issues such as school governance. Yet it is argued that correct reform will not occur without the investment of teachers, the people charged with actually implementing change. Why might some teachers choose not to be involved? What reasons might you offer to encourage greater participation? What would it take for you to see yourself as a change agent for school reform?

Accepted Answer

Some teachers may choose not to be involved in the school reform movement for a variety of reasons. They may feel overwhelmed by their workload and lack the time and energy to take on additional responsibilities. They may also feel skeptical about the effectiveness of reform efforts or feel that their input is not valued by school leaders. Additionally, some may fear backlash or negative consequences for speaking out against the status quo.

To encourage greater participation from teachers, it is important to provide them with opportunities for meaningful input and decision-making power in the reform process. Teachers should be reassured that their voices are valued and that their perspectives are crucial for successful implementation of change. It is also important to provide adequate support and resources for teachers to be able to actively participate in reform efforts without feeling overburdened.

As for seeing oneself as a change agent for school reform, it would take a supportive and inclusive school environment where teachers are empowered to take on leadership roles and contribute to decision-making processes. It would also require clear communication and transparency from school leaders about the goals and strategies of the reform movement, as well as opportunities for ongoing professional development and collaboration with colleagues. Ultimately, teachers need to feel that their efforts and contributions to reform are making a meaningful impact on the lives of their students and the overall success of the school.

Question 3

School choice and vouchers have been touted as a highly democratic solution to the problem of low performing schools, as well as being criticized as fundamentally undemocratic plans that have the potential to harm a larger population of students than they help. Think about this contradiction in terms of the mission of public schooling and its responsibility to society as a whole. On which side of this debate do you find yourself? Explain your position with evidence and reasoned argument.

Accepted Answer

As a student of education, I find myself on the side of the debate that argues for the importance of public schooling and its responsibility to society as a whole. While school choice and vouchers may seem like a democratic solution to the problem of low performing schools, there are several reasons why I believe they are fundamentally undemocratic and have the potential to harm a larger population of students.

First and foremost, public schools have a responsibility to provide equal and equitable education to all students, regardless of their socioeconomic status or background. School choice and vouchers have the potential to further segregate students by allowing more affluent families to opt out of public schools, leaving behind a more disadvantaged and marginalized population. This not only exacerbates existing inequalities in education but also weakens the overall quality of public schooling by draining resources and funding.

Furthermore, public schools are meant to serve as a unifying force in society, bringing together students from diverse backgrounds and fostering a sense of community and citizenship. By promoting school choice and vouchers, we risk fragmenting our educational system and further dividing our society along economic and social lines.

Additionally, research has shown that school choice and vouchers do not necessarily lead to improved academic outcomes. In fact, in some cases, they have been found to have a negative impact on student achievement. This calls into question the effectiveness of these policies in addressing the problem of low performing schools.

In conclusion, while the idea of school choice and vouchers may seem appealing on the surface, I believe that they are ultimately detrimental to the mission of public schooling and its responsibility to society as a whole. Instead of promoting policies that further segregate and weaken our public education system, we should focus on investing in and improving our existing public schools to ensure that all students have access to high-quality education. Education is a public good, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that it serves the needs of all students, not just a select few.

Question 4

The primary purpose of schooling in our society has often been defined

Accepted Answer

A)  in terms of the needs of society as a whole. 
B)  in terms of the economic conditions and needs of the larger society. 
C)  both in terms of the needs of society as a whole and in terms of the economic conditions and needs of the larger society. 
D)  None of these answers is correct. 
A)  in terms of the needs of society as a whole. 
B)  in terms of the economic conditions and needs of the larger society. 
C)  both in terms of the needs of society as a whole and in terms of the economic conditions and needs of the larger society. 
D)  None of these answers is correct.

Question 5

Some defend the idea that schools should prepare students for the world of work, and they lament the decline of vocational and technical education in contemporary schools. This is an issue of particular relevance for schools that do not have significant populations of working- or lower-class students. In your view, does this type of education have a place in our contemporary system? In all educational environments, regardless of student demographics, or in just some? Explain your position using examples and reasoned argument.

Accepted Answer

I believe that vocational and technical

Question 6

William Bennett recalled Horace Mann's efforts to build universal values and a uniform curriculum when he argued for

Accepted Answer

A)  consensus around the "three Cs: character, content and choice." 
B)  consensus around the "three Ts: teaching, testing and temperance." 
C)  consensus around the "three As: accountability, action and assimilation." 
D)  None of these answers is correct. 
A)  consensus around the "three Cs: character, content and choice." 
B)  consensus around the "three Ts: teaching, testing and temperance." 
C)  consensus around the "three As: accountability, action and assimilation." 
D)  None of these answers is correct.

Question 7

A primary ingredient in Jefferson's and Aristotle's regard for liberal education was the relationship between

Accepted Answer

A)  masculinity and elitism. 
B)  wealth and aristocracy. 
C)  rationality and freedom. 
D)  All these answers are correct. 
A)  masculinity and elitism. 
B)  wealth and aristocracy. 
C)  rationality and freedom. 
D)  All these answers are correct.

Question 8

Just as Massachusetts was a leading state in common school reform in the 1800s, so was it an important state early in the contemporary reform period. Why?

Accepted Answer

A)  Massachusetts achieved economic prosperity by attracting high-tech industry, in part due to its educational resources. 
B)  Just as Massachusetts had led the early nineteenth-century United States in industrial development, it led late twentieth-century America in post-industrial information technology. 
C)  The Massachusetts economy sank so low in the early 1980s that its leaders started a school reform movement to jump-start the state economy. 
D)  For both these reasons: Massachusetts achieved economic prosperity by attracting high-tech industry, in part due to its educational resources; and, just as it had led the early nineteenth-century United States in industrial development, Massachusetts led late twentieth-century America in post-industrial information technology. 
A)  Massachusetts achieved economic prosperity by attracting high-tech industry, in part due to its educational resources. 
B)  Just as Massachusetts had led the early nineteenth-century United States in industrial development, it led late twentieth-century America in post-industrial information technology. 
C)  The Massachusetts economy sank so low in the early 1980s that its leaders started a school reform movement to jump-start the state economy. 
D)  For both these reasons: Massachusetts achieved economic prosperity by attracting high-tech industry, in part due to its educational resources; and, just as it had led the early nineteenth-century United States in industrial development, Massachusetts led late twentieth-century America in post-industrial information technology.

Question 9

The authors appear to take the position that

Accepted Answer

A)  the contemporary school reform movement has the capacity to address the basic causes of school failure in the United States. 
B)  fundamental economic problems need to be addressed directly at their source through economic means rather than indirectly through educational means. 
C)  the contemporary school reform movement is sufficiently independent of business control that it successfully puts the interests of children first. 
D)  All these answers are correct. 
A)  the contemporary school reform movement has the capacity to address the basic causes of school failure in the United States. 
B)  fundamental economic problems need to be addressed directly at their source through economic means rather than indirectly through educational means. 
C)  the contemporary school reform movement is sufficiently independent of business control that it successfully puts the interests of children first. 
D)  All these answers are correct.

Question 10

National school reform movements are generally spurred by the idea that

Accepted Answer

A)  schooling serves an important socialization function. 
B)  schooling serves a national interest in terms of competition with other countries. 
C)  schooling serves to remediate social ills. 
D)  All these answers are correct. 
A)  schooling serves an important socialization function. 
B)  schooling serves a national interest in terms of competition with other countries. 
C)  schooling serves to remediate social ills. 
D)  All these answers are correct.

Question 11

The authors of this volume appear to believe that the ideal of liberal education

Accepted Answer

A)  should be rejected because of its inherent racism. 
B)  should be rejected because of its inherent elitism. 
C)  can be re-conceptualized to correct for historic racist and sexist tendencies. 
D)  All these answers are correct. 
A)  should be rejected because of its inherent racism. 
B)  should be rejected because of its inherent elitism. 
C)  can be re-conceptualized to correct for historic racist and sexist tendencies. 
D)  All these answers are correct.

Question 12

Think about the perspectives that should be considered in the process of school reform. Who should have a voice? Students? Teachers? Community members? Local school board members? State and/or federal level politicians? What is the level of impact that each of these stakeholders has on the system as we know it? What are the moral, philosophical, and social ramifications of the power, or lack thereof, of each of these voices? Support your perspective with evidence and reasoned argument.

Accepted Answer

In the process of school reform, it is c

Question 13

The authors seem to be skeptical of business-education partnerships because

Accepted Answer

A)  the top-down decision-making characteristic of business organizations may not be a desirable model for schooling in a democratic culture. 
B)  such partnerships assume that the goals of education should be determined in large part by the needs of the business community. 
C)  the measure of success in business is profit, which may conflict with a measure of success in education that emphasizes human development. 
D)  All these answers are correct. 
A)  the top-down decision-making characteristic of business organizations may not be a desirable model for schooling in a democratic culture. 
B)  such partnerships assume that the goals of education should be determined in large part by the needs of the business community. 
C)  the measure of success in business is profit, which may conflict with a measure of success in education that emphasizes human development. 
D)  All these answers are correct.

Question 14

In the authors' view, school choice, vouchers, and charter schools

Accepted Answer

A)  are likely to challenge public schools into making important changes. 
B)  are not likely to have an extensive, lasting impact on public schooling. 
C)  are all identical approaches with different labels. 
D)  are much too expensive to gain widespread support. 
A)  are likely to challenge public schools into making important changes. 
B)  are not likely to have an extensive, lasting impact on public schooling. 
C)  are all identical approaches with different labels. 
D)  are much too expensive to gain widespread support.

Question 15

The use of technology in the classroom

Accepted Answer

A)  has proven to level the playing field between children of different socioeconomic backgrounds. 
B)  is worth the investment because teachers do not need special training in order to pass the benefits of technology along to their students. 
C)  presents an interesting dilemma in that it is expensive and competes with other approaches to
Improving student learning. 
D)  All these answers are correct. 
A)  has proven to level the playing field between children of different socioeconomic backgrounds. 
B)  is worth the investment because teachers do not need special training in order to pass the benefits of technology along to their students. 
C)  presents an interesting dilemma in that it is expensive and competes with other approaches to
Improving student learning. 
D)  All these answers are correct.

Question 16

According to Stan Karp, the adequate yearly progress (AYP) provision of NCLB

Accepted Answer

A)  is the formula used to evaluate schools on the basis of standardized test scores. 
B)  sets schools up to fail by setting unrealistic parameters. 
C)  does little to address the pressing needs of public schools and the students within them. 
D)  All these answers are correct. 
A)  is the formula used to evaluate schools on the basis of standardized test scores. 
B)  sets schools up to fail by setting unrealistic parameters. 
C)  does little to address the pressing needs of public schools and the students within them. 
D)  All these answers are correct.

Question 17

When Weisberg suggests that vocational educational programs are not well matched to meet the needs of the labor market, he is claiming

Accepted Answer

A)  that due to changing workplace technologies, it's unreasonable to expect high schools to provide the necessary training. 
B)  the market demands smarter employees than secondary schools can provide. 
C)  that most employers require a college degree. 
D)  All these answers are correct. 
A)  that due to changing workplace technologies, it's unreasonable to expect high schools to provide the necessary training. 
B)  the market demands smarter employees than secondary schools can provide. 
C)  that most employers require a college degree. 
D)  All these answers are correct.

Question 18

In terms of total numbers of new jobs available, the fastest-growing occupations in recent years have been

Accepted Answer

A)  largely low-skill, low-paying jobs. 
B)  mostly in the service sector. 
C)  jobs with little career advancement opportunity. 
D)  All these answers are correct. 
A)  largely low-skill, low-paying jobs. 
B)  mostly in the service sector. 
C)  jobs with little career advancement opportunity. 
D)  All these answers are correct.

Question 19

The current collaboration between business and government in educational reform is

Accepted Answer

A)  a development for which there is no precedent in the twentieth century. 
B)  a return to nineteenth-century classical liberalism. 
C)  thoroughly consistent with corporate liberal ideology. 
D)  All these answers are correct. 
A)  a development for which there is no precedent in the twentieth century. 
B)  a return to nineteenth-century classical liberalism. 
C)  thoroughly consistent with corporate liberal ideology. 
D)  All these answers are correct.

Typical school reform movements

The primary purpose of schooling in our society has often been defined

William Bennett recalled Horace Mann's efforts to build universal values and a uniform curriculum when he argued for

A primary ingredient in Jefferson's and Aristotle's regard for liberal education was the relationship between

Just as Massachusetts was a leading state in common school reform in the 1800s, so was it an important state early in the contemporary reform period. Why?

The authors appear to take the position that

National school reform movements are generally spurred by the idea that

The authors of this volume appear to believe that the ideal of liberal education

The authors seem to be skeptical of business-education partnerships because

In the authors' view, school choice, vouchers, and charter schools

The use of technology in the classroom

According to Stan Karp, the adequate yearly progress (AYP) provision of NCLB

When Weisberg suggests that vocational educational programs are not well matched to meet the needs of the labor market, he is claiming

In terms of total numbers of new jobs available, the fastest-growing occupations in recent years have been

The current collaboration between business and government in educational reform is

Introduction: Understanding School and Society

Liberty and Literacy: The Jeffersonian Ideal

School As a Public Institution: The Common-School ERA

Social Diversity and Differentiated Schooling: The Progressive ERA

Diversity and Equity: Schooling Girls and Women

Diversity and Equity: Schooling and African Americans

Diversity and Equity: Schooling and American Indians

National School Reform: The Early Cold War ERA

Liberty and Literacy Today: Contemporary Perspectives

Teaching in a Public Institution: The Professionalization Movement

Diversity and Equity Today: Defining the Challenge

Diversity and Equity Today: Meeting the Challenge

School and Society: Teaching and Teacher Leadership in the 21st Century

Filters

Exam 11: Differentiated Schooling, Labor Market Preparation, and Contemporary School Reform: The Postcold

Typical school reform movements

The primary purpose of schooling in our society has often been defined

William Bennett recalled Horace Mann's efforts to build universal values and a uniform curriculum when he argued for

A primary ingredient in Jefferson's and Aristotle's regard for liberal education was the relationship between

Just as Massachusetts was a leading state in common school reform in the 1800s, so was it an important state early in the contemporary reform period. Why?

The authors appear to take the position that

National school reform movements are generally spurred by the idea that

The authors of this volume appear to believe that the ideal of liberal education

The authors seem to be skeptical of business-education partnerships because

In the authors' view, school choice, vouchers, and charter schools

The use of technology in the classroom

According to Stan Karp, the adequate yearly progress (AYP) provision of NCLB

When Weisberg suggests that vocational educational programs are not well matched to meet the needs of the labor market, he is claiming

In terms of total numbers of new jobs available, the fastest-growing occupations in recent years have been

The current collaboration between business and government in educational reform is

Introduction: Understanding School and Society

Liberty and Literacy: The Jeffersonian Ideal

School As a Public Institution: The Common-School ERA

Social Diversity and Differentiated Schooling: The Progressive ERA

Diversity and Equity: Schooling Girls and Women

Diversity and Equity: Schooling and African Americans

Diversity and Equity: Schooling and American Indians

National School Reform: The Early Cold War ERA

Liberty and Literacy Today: Contemporary Perspectives

Teaching in a Public Institution: The Professionalization Movement

Diversity and Equity Today: Defining the Challenge

Diversity and Equity Today: Meeting the Challenge

School and Society: Teaching and Teacher Leadership in the 21st Century

Filters