1. Lesson 10: Education
Social Problems
Robert Wonser

2. Historical “Crises” of Education
1970s: inequalities of educational opportunity; allegedly authoritarian nature of schools 1980s and 1990s: decline of standards and authority, linked with a decrease In U.S. economic power Today: preoccupation with accountability; achievement gaps based on race, social class, and gender.

3. Achievement Gaps
Standardized tests reveal score gaps based on race, class, ethnicity, gender, and other social characteristics
Federal Education Policies intended to reduce gaps:
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)
President Barack Obama’s Race to the Top (RTT)

4. Educational Funding Gaps (2006)
Funding gap between highest and lowest poverty districts is:
$773 per student
$19,325 for classroom of 25 students
$309,200 for elementary school of 400 students
Gaps vary by state

5. Urban Education and Stratification
Urban schools reflect social stratification and segregation. Increase in percentage of poor and minority children in central cities 1971:17 percent of the (6 and 17) in large central cities both poor and minority 1983: 28 percent of the (6 and 17) in large central cities both poor and minority 2011: Over 78% of NTC children from low-income families eligible for free or subsidized lunch. 86% Black, Hispanic, or Asian

6. Urban Educational Inequality
High school dropout rates in many large cities over 40 percent.
In 2011:
Only 24 percent of 8th grade NYC students performed at or above the proficient level in math and reading tests
Only 13 percent performed at or above the proficient level on science tests
Numbers reflect national patterns for urban areas.

7. Decline of Literacy
U.S. literacy rates below those of most other industrialized nations.
30 million U.S. adults have below basic literacy levels
60 million function at a basic level
able to perform only simple, everyday literacy activities
These data are well below the literacy rates of other

8. Functionalist Theory and Education
Education critical for creating social cohesion and harmony
Schools socialize students and sort them according to their abilities.
Talcott Parsons (1959)
Education established a modern system of meritocracy
talent and hard work are expected to determine the allocation of individuals to positions.
Education becomes the key institution for meritocratic selection process based on equality of opportunity

9. Conflict theory and education
Bowles and Gintis (1976)
Draw on Marx’s critique of capitalism
Direct correspondence between the organization of schools and the economic organization of capitalist society
School reform depends on broader societal change

10. Conflict theory and Education
Randall Collins (1979),
Rise in credentials result of status competition among groups battling over scarce cultural, political, and economic rewards
Primarily middle-class professionals’ attempts to raise their status and the stakes.
Educational credentials increased in excess of an increase in occupational skills and requirements.
Example: pharmacists now need a six-year college program leading to a doctorate rather than the apprenticeship program of the 1930s, or a baccalaureate degree as in the last decade.

11. Interactionism and Education
Ray Rist (1977)
Teacher expectations of students affect students’ perceptions of themselves and achievement
Teacher expectations often influenced by students race, class, ethnicity, and gender,

12. Code Theory Basil Bernstein (1924-2000)
Differences between the communication codes of working-class and middle-class children
Working-class language restricted to their own social class background
Middle-class language codes elaborated and understood by those with similar or different backgrounds.
Because schools rely on the middle-class, working- class children are disadvantaged.

13. Schools and Capital
Pierre Bourdieu (1930—2002) asks how education reproduces inequality
Three forms of capital:
Economic (wealth)
Social (networks and connections)
Cultural (forms of knowledge, including music, art and literature)
Different groups have unequal access to capital
Schools most advantageous to those with the most capital

14. Institutional Theory Schools as institutions
Develop rituals to legitimate their existence
David Baker and Gerald LeTendre (2005) argue that a fundamental set of beliefs has influenced the development of mass schooling:
children should be educated
nations should invest in schooling
education functions for the collective good of society
children should receive early and ongoing schooling
neither social, economic, nor racial status should not limit access to schooling.

15. Effective-School Research
Research on unusually effective schools often have:
a climate of high expectations for students
strong and effective leadership
accountability for students and teachers
monitoring of student learning
and flexibility for teachers and administrators to experiment and adapt to new situations and problems

16. What No School Can Do Schools are one institution.
Educational outcomes are comprised of many institutions.
If the other institutions don’t function properly, the school can’t make up for that.