Exam 15: Education Policy: Reading, Writing and Reform

Much of the alleged crisis in public education is a product of demographics. Poverty, culture, dysfunctional or unsupportive families, and poor health and nutrition affect a student's education.

To address the problem of teacher shortages,

Ninety percent of the nation's primary and secondary school systems are operated by independent school districts, but cities, counties, towns, or townships run the schools in some states.

Since education issues are high-profile matters, state governors are highly involved in education policymaking.

Efforts to equalize funding among school districts has

The No Child Left Behind Act set new standards for public schools and imposed many mandates. Fortunately for the states, Congress provided funds to pay for all of the mandates.

Sociologist James S. Coleman's 1966 research (better known as the Coleman Report)on resources and student performance shows

State Boards of Education do not have as much political clout or power as governors and state legislatures.

In the San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez (1973), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that

The concept of school choice embraces market-based principles.

Striking differences in SAT scores among the states reflect population characteristics such as race and ethnicity, immigration, poverty levels, and urban-suburban-rural population.

Teachers, local school boards, ​state boards of education, and state departments of education have been called 'the educational establishment.'

Regarding voucher programs, private schools generally

Some argue that many schools suffer from curriculum drift, a malady that involves offering courses that deemphasize teaching basic verbal and math skills.

Although SAT scores increased almost annually between 1963 and 1982, they have since steadily fluctuated-with a more recent trend tilting downward. This has motivated states to impose sweeping statewide testing standards.

Local school boards, teachers, and school administrators, state departments of education, and parents make up what is considered

Education innovation in the states has recently focused on

Comprehensive change in public education is proposed under the term "school choice." What options related to this are under consideration or being tried? Why are so many options being offered? Why can't all students be educated in one single local school system? What are their advantages and disadvantages?

The first federal grant of money for education was

Which 2002 federal program relies on demonstrated improvements in teacher quality, academic standards, and student performance to make financial awards to local school districts?