The School as a social institution  Schools are meant to preserve and extend social order.

Type of Schools (p. 170)  Public Schools  Private Schools

Organization of Public Schooling in the United States

Public Schools  Kindergarten (K)  Elementary School (K1-6 0r K1-8) – Primary (K-2) – Intermediate (3-6)  Middle School (5-8)  Secondary Schools – Junior High School (7-8 or 7-9) – High School (7-12, 9-12, or 10-12)

Public Schools (cont.)  Post-Secondary Schools – Community Colleges – State Colleges – State Universities

Public Alternate Schools  An alternate school is any school operating within the public school system and has programs addressing the specific needs or interests of targeted student groups. – Some alternate schools are self- contained structures; others are organized as schools within schools (see figure 5.1 (p.170).

Public Alternate Schools (cont.)  Head Start  Prekindergarten Programs  Laboratory Schools  Nongraded Schools  Magnet Schools  Charter Schools  Accelerated Schools  Cluster Schools  Vocational-Technical schools

Public Alternate Schools (cont.)  Professional development Schools  Government-Run Schools – Department of Defense Dependents Schools – Native American Schools – Career Academies – Job Corps  Home Schooling

Private Schools  Nursery Schools & Preschools  “Concept School” Alternatives – Montessori Schools – Waldorf Schools – Steiner Schools  “Ethnic School” Alternatives – Afrocentric Schools (Black Academies) – Reservation Schools

Private Schools (cont.)  Parochial/Religious Schools – Catholic Schools – Christian Academies – Hebrew Schools – Islamic Schools

Private Schools (cont.)  College Preparatory Schools  Trade Schools  Military Academies  Junior Colleges  Colleges and Universities  Adult Education Centers

GROUP WORK  To Track or Not to Track: That is the Question.  List arguments against supporting and opposing tracking in schools.

Considering School policy: School Choice  A state legislature is holding hearings about proposed legislation on school choice. They are considering several options:

GROUP WORK

Choose one of the following positions  1. Parents would continue to send their children to the neighborhood public school in their school district or send their children to a private school at their expense.  2. Parents would be able to choose the schools their children attend within their public school district or being limited to neighborhood schools.

 3. Parents would be able to choose the schools their children attend in any public school district and would be provided vouchers to do so.  4. Parents would be able to choose to send their children to any public or private school and would be provided vouchers to do so.  5. Parents would be able to choose to send their children to a private school and would receive a tuition tax credit.

 6. We do not support any of these positions. We have our own position (State your position and discuss why you support it).

Use the guideline below for your discussion.  What are the arguments in support of your position?  What are the arguments against your position?  Why do you support your position?