The document provides a history of education reform in America from the 1800s to present day, covering major events, influential figures, and ongoing issues. It analyzes approaches taken by reformers like Horace Mann, John Dewey, and modern legislation. While many solutions have been proposed, the document argues that there is no single answer and that continued progress requires less federal control, better funding allocation, and taking action on proposed reforms.
Introduction to the presentation focusing on education reform issues in America.
Roots and major events in American education from the 1780s to 1862, highlighting significant developments such as the establishment of the first public schools.
Major problems in late 1800s education including underfunding and the influence of religion, along with the contributions of Horace Mann in promoting public education.
Shift towards technical training and compulsory schooling; significant changes in school structure and curriculums driven by pioneers like John Dewey.Adoption of junior high schools, vocational guidance, and the impact of administrative progressives; various reforms since the 1950s.
Modern challenges in education like funding, cost of tuition, teacher compensation, and the need for policy changes post-'No Child Left Behind'.
Concerns about national standardization in education, including the Common Core and its implications for parental involvement.
Proposed changes to teacher pay to enhance quality, alongside other revisited reform issues like testing and funding control.
Challenges faced in implementing education reforms, emphasizing the need for better budgeting and state control over education.
References used within the presentation, providing sources for further reading.
Roots of AmericanEducation
Primary mode of
education = charity Moor’s
school charity
Lancaster schools school in
Hartford,
(England) show that CT
schools need adult
supervision
Started as theoretical
learning
progressive shift
toward classical
learning
Joseph Andrew Bell
4.
Major Events inEducation, 1800s
• Young Ladies Academy opens
1787
• Bill of Rights created
1791
• Connecticut Asylum at Hartford for the Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons opens
1817
• The state of Massachusetts passes a law requiring towns of more than 500 families to have a
1827 public high school open to all students
• The New England Asylum for the Blind opens
1829
• The first of William Holmes McGuffey's readers is published
1836
• Horace Mann becomes Secretary of the newly formed Massachusetts State Board of
1837 Education; first students arrive at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary
• First “normal school” opens
1839
5.
Major Events inEducation, 1800s
• Samuel Gridley Howe helps establish the Experimental School for Teaching and Training Idiotic Children
1848
• Elizabeth Blackwell graduates from Geneva Medical College
1849
• Massachusetts enacts the first mandatory attendance law. By 1885, 16 states have compulsory-attendance
1852 laws, but most of those laws are sporadically enforced at best. All states have them by 1918
• Boston Public Library opens to the public, Ashmun Institute is founded
1854
• First kindergarten in the U.S. is started
1856
• The National Teachers Association is founded
1857
• Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species is published
1859
• The First Morrill Act becomes law
1862
6.
Problems in theLate 1800s
Length of school year
Teachers underpaid,
under qualified
Religion invades learning –
need secular schools
1890 – most local boards
accept public schooling
(not the South)
Jacob Riis exposes New
York classrooms
Roots of Progressive
movement
7.
Horace Mann
“The father of
American public
education”
Promoted public
education
Beliefsmet with
controversy
European influence
Secretary of
Massachusetts Board
of Education in 1837
8.
The Progressive Era
School increasingly
focused on
technical/industrial
training (thanks
Dewey!)
Fewer American
laborers, more
immigrants
Compulsory school
attendance first
established in 1852
Children need to
experience
adolescence
9.
Assimilation
Edward Thorndike: Educational
Psychology(1903) E.P. Cubberley
Differences in mental Educational
ability assimilation for
Opposed compulsory immigrants
attendance
Help teachers and
Standardized testing administrators
good
Immigrant Naturalizing
naturalization immigrant children
Both approaches met with resistance after 1929 as
Dewey became more popular
10.
Administrative Progressives
Junior high school
program adopted
Psychological tests,
vocational guidance
Fewer local high
schools, more large,
centralized high
schools
Edward Thorndike
Curricular differentiation
Increased state and
federal regulation
(standardization)
11.
John Dewey
Philosopher, educator,
Pragmatist that led
opposition to
standardization
Heavily influential from
1900-1940
Argued for
experimental education,
criticized “dead”
education
Influence declined after
Second World War
12.
Reforms Since the1950s
Civil Rights Reforms
(1950s – 1970s)
A Nation at Risk
(1980s)
Outcome-Based
Education (OBE)
(1990s)
No Child Left Behind
Act (2001)
13.
Overall Effectiveness
No one solution yields the
“perfect” education system
Biggest reforms came in
the 1890s and with
Administrative
Progressives
John Dewey = most
influential reformer in
modern perspective
Today’s reforms = more
legislative, less dramatic
change
Latest Issues
Money
The economy and
education
Cost of college tuition
Teacher compensation
Assessment
Replacing “No Child”?
National standardization
Quality of education
Online vs. in-class
instruction
16.
The Economy andEducation
In Michigan, universities and prisons
competing for shrinking state budgets
Smaller budgets fewer programs
Students can’t afford to attend college
Increased demand for college education
“We are spending more on a prisoner in one
year than we are to help a Michigan student go
to college for four years.”
-Doug Rothwell, president and CEO of Business Leaders for
Michigan
The future depends on education – North
Carolina
17.
Cost of CollegeTuition
“"We can't keep
subsidizing skyrocketing
tuition. Colleges and
universities need to do
their part to keep costs
down as well ... We are
putting colleges on
notice…”
Solution?
Split $1 billion among
states whose colleges
contain tuition
Proposed "College
Scorecard"
18.
Teacher Compensation
Want to hire “the
highest-quality
educators in the most
cost-effective
manner”
Paid enough already
Money wasted
Many teachers paid
for qualifications, not
quality
New teachers vs.
veteran teachers
Unrealistic
expectations
19.
Replacing “No Child”?
10 states exempted from
“No Child Left Behind”
“Take a careful look at the
policies at the heart of
NCLB, because they have
not worked, [and] if they
are not working, we need
to change them."
-Monty Neill, chair of the Forum on Educational
Accountability (FEA)
Emphasis on high-stakes
tests is misguided, should
be used more as a
“sample”
Alternatives?
20.
National Standardization
Removes parents
from decisions about
content taught in
children’s schools
Obama
Administration wants
to “nationalize”
content taught in
public schools across
America
Common Core
Standards Initiative
Problems
21.
Online or In-Class?
Online In-Class
Scheduling flexibility Up-close and
Classroom-like personal
experience
Forced to focus
Technical proficiency
Hard to tell if students
Social factor
grasp material More rigorous?
Honor system Bottom line: depends
Easier?
on personal learning
style
No More Standardization
Nationalization is not the
answer!
Parents need to be
involved, nationalization
ruins this process
Road to recovery
Reflect on why we began
to set standards
No more standardization
legislation
Give states more control
of education
24.
Five Steps toBetter Compensation
1. Avoid Across-the-Board Pay Increases
2. Pay Teachers for Their Performance, Not for
Their Resumes
3. Screen Teachers More Intensely After Hiring
Them
4. Transition Teachers from Traditional
Pensions to 401(k)-Style Plans
5. Maintain Sober Expectations
- From Jason Richwine’s A Better Way to Pay
25.
Other Reforms (Revisited)
Testing
Consortium
school
Learning record
Funding
The issue of
control
Abandon No
Child
26.
Challenges
Too much?
Skepticism
Legislation
Major challenge:
impatience
Extra costs would not be
too significant
Most
state boards have
enough money, just not
budgeted correctly
27.
Summary
History of education reforms stretches back to
the 1800s, continues to present major
challenges today
Horace Mann
John Dewey
Modern legislation
Reformers have tried numerous approaches,
but there is no magical solution
Need better budgeting, less federal control
Only way to change is to act!
#4 Primary mode of education = charity schoolFunded by governmental and religious organizationsBasic grammar schoolsLancaster schools show that schools need adult supervisionOlder children acting as disciplinary monitors were brutalMost English-speaking countries develop mandatory publicly paid education – keep education in "responsible" handsStarted as theoretical (why), progressive shift toward classical learning (who, what, where, when)
#7 Schools only open for a few months/yearTeachers with little experience, little payChildren across America needed access to secular schoolsSet up in 1840s to protect against Irish Catholics and German immigrants in New York and ChicagoQuality varied greatly1890 – most local boards accept public schooling (not the South)Jacob Riis exposes New York classroomsFormed the basis for Progressive School movement
#8 *relationships should be less disciplinary“The father of American public education”Traveled across Massachusetts arouse awareness and benefits of public educationBeliefs met with controversyMore personal, less disciplinary student-teacher relationshipsNon-mandatory bible studies in schoolsSchools open to students regardless of religion, race, or sexBring school districts under town authorityTraveled to Europe, impressed with the German school systemTried to implement Prussian educational system in AmericaEmphasis on language and national identitySecretary of Massachusetts Board of Education in 1837
#9 School increasingly focused on technical/industrial training (thanks Dewey!)Land Grant College Act (Morrill Act)Art educationFewer American laborers, more immigrantsDifficulty meshing with modernized school systemCompulsory school attendance first established in 1852NCLC organized 1904Children need to experience adolescenceTechnology expends period of childhood learning into late teensCurriculums too repetitive
#10 People differ in mental ability, schools’ duty to identify and nurture those differencesOpposed compulsory attendance because it “limited ability”Standardized testing would help determine abilitySchools should help immigrants to learn the English language and the customs of corporate America Educational assimilation for immigrantsWrote textbooks for teachers and administratorsWhen placed in public school, immigrant children will abandon Old World culture, pick up American ways
#11 Junior high school program adoptedPsychological tests, vocational guidanceFewer local high schools, more large, centralized high schoolsCurricular differentiationSecondary schools vs. “normal” schoolsClassrooms separated by ageIncreased state and federal regulation (standardization)Much criticism – people learn in different ways (Piaget, Myers, Briggs)
#12 Philosopher, educator, PragmatistLed the opposition to standardizationRecognized emotional, artistic, and creative aspects of human developmentHeavily influential from 1900-1940Argued for experimental educationChildren naturally active and curious“Learn by doing”Dewey School establishedCriticized “dead” educationMisunderstoodClose association with certain schools yielded harsh judgmentInfluence declined after Second World WarMore conservative education policies enactedToo costly
#13 Civil Rights Reforms (1950s – 1970s)End of racial segregationBanning of school prayerA Nation at Risk (1980s)Ronald Reagan attempt to reduce/eliminate Department of EducationE.D. Hirsch responds – “cultural literacy”Still influential todayMost states and districts adopt Outcome-Based Education (OBE) in 1990squantitative instrument to assess if students knew required content/could perform required tasksNo Child Left Behind Act (2001)Help underprivileged children achieve same results as everyone elseMore standardized testingNo national standard, only state standards must be met
#17 In Michigan, universities and prisons competing for shrinking state budgetsSmaller budgets fewer programs for students (foreign languages, arts cut first)Students can’t afford to attend college not qualified to get jobs62 percent of jobs will require a post-secondary education by 2018“We are spending more on a prisoner in one year than we are to help a Michigan student go to college for four years.” -Doug Rothwell, president and CEO of Business Leaders for MichiganThe future depends on education – it’s worked in North CarolinaSome states, notably North Carolina, choose to educate. North Carolina's economy is similar to Michigan's, but it spends much more on higher education. The University of North Carolina gets nearly four times as much state support per student as Michigan schools. As a result a four year degree costs in-state students $38,215 in Michigan but only $18,887 in North Carolina. Today, North Carolina and Michigan rank about even in economic performance. But 30 to 40 years ago, North Carolina lagged way behind, whereas Michigan led. Since then, North Carolina's investments and Michigan's disinvestments have leveled the playing field. North Carolina offers far more to support knowledge-based businesses that pay high wages and fuel the state's economy.
#18 “"We can't keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition. Colleges and universities need to do their part to keep costs down as well ... We are putting colleges on notice…”Cut funding for schools that raise tuition and shift money to universities that provide good value Split $1 billion among states whose colleges contain tuitionProposed "College Scorecard" publicly available informationgrade colleges based on total cost, graduation rates, and potential earnings
#19 Want to hire “the highest-quality educators in the most cost-effective manner”Teachers actually earn more than skills would merit in other career fieldsSchool boards are wasting money giving everyone raisesMany teachers paid for qualifications, not qualityNew teachers struggle to find employment, but lots of veteran teachers receive tenureTenure = job security for teachers who have successfully completed a probationary period. The purpose is to protect good teachers from being fired for non-educational issues including personal beliefs, personality conflicts with administrators or school board members, etc. Young teachers accrue very little in benefits, but mid-career teachers around age 50 quickly begin to add very large sums to their pension wealthDiscourages potential teachers from entering education from fear of losing all pension benefits if they leaveEveryone wants a magical solution that will correct things forever – not gonna happen overnight people!
#20 In February, Obama exempted 10 states from the requirements of “No Child Left Behind”“Take a careful look at the policies at the heart of NCLB, because they have not worked, [and] if they are not working, we need to change them." -Monty Neill, chair of the Forum on Educational Accountability (FEA)Emphasis on high-stakes tests is misguided, should be used more as a “sample”Alternatives? Consortium school method – draws focus away from tests instead, literary essays, problem-solving math skills, original science experiments, research papersLearning record method - track each student's progress throughout the year (work samples, observational notes) and use that information to determine the best way to teach that student
#21 Removes parents from decisions about content taught in children’s schoolsObama Administration wants to “nationalize” content taught in public schools across AmericaCommon Core Standards InitiativeNational standards for English and math, federally funded national assessments46 states already on board (maybe for the money?)ProblemsUnlikely to increase achievementNot responding to needs of familiesScores vary within states, nationalization won’t do anythingCostly – billions of dollars already invested, but states cant afford itQuestionable - designed specifically to meet CC standards
#22 Scheduling flexibilityClassroom-like experience Videoconferencing Students log in daily to participate in instruction, turn in assignmentsTechnical proficiencyHard to tell if students grasp materialHonor system Tests, exams – if no proctor is available, how do you know?Easier?Up-close and personal Interact, ask questions, etc.Forced to focus Can’t pull upFacebook when teacher is watchingSocial factor Talking, interacting with people is importantMore rigorous?
#25 Avoid Across-the-Board Pay IncreasesTeachers that perform better should receive higher payDistricts need to manage budgets more effecientlyPay Teachers for Their Performance, Not for Their ResumesMore is not necessarily better – a teacher with a BA and minimal experience can be just as good as one with a doctorate and 30 years of experienceAgain, determine who gets paid more based on their students’ performanceScreen Teachers More Intensely After Hiring Them It is too hard for new teachers to get hired, and too easy for veteran teachers to stay on with tenureTeachers get a trial period - reserve permanent positions for only the top 20 percent or so who perform best during their tryout period (Douglas O. Staiger and Jonah Rockoff from the Journal of Economic Perspectives)Discourages potential teachers from entering education from fear of losing all pension benefits if they leaveTransition Teachers from Traditional Pensions to 401(k)-Style PlansIncentives exist because teachers do not build up pension wealth smoothly as they progress through their careers. Young teachers accrue very little in benefits, but mid-career teachers around age 50 quickly begin to add very large sums to their pension wealth.Teachers may not know when to enter and when to exit the teaching profession401(k)-style DC plan, would provide retirement benefits to teachers that accrue at a constant rate each year – neutral towards entrance/exitMaintain Sober ExpectationsThings aren’t going to happen overnight!It’s going to take time, but these changes can happen if we persevere and push for change
#26 TestingConsortium school method – draws focus away from tests instead, literary essays, problem-solving math skills, original science experiments, research papersLearning record method - track each student's progress throughout the year (work samples, observational notes) and use that information to determine the best way to teach that studentFundingCut funding for schools that raise tuition and shift money to universities that provide good valueProposed "College Scorecard" publicly available informationgrade colleges based on total cost, graduation rates, and potential earningsStates should have more control – federal government can still play a role, but testing and curriculum should be the responsibility of the stateAbandon No Child – ““Take a careful look at the policies at the heart of NCLB, because they have not worked, [and] if they are not working, we need to change them."
#27 Too much?Will people be overwhelmed by sweeping change?SkepticismPeople may be skeptical – if they believe it won’t change, they won’t support itLegislationSignificant legislation would be needed to shift power from federal government to statesMajor challenge: impatienceChange takes timePeople aren’t willing to wait - want dramatic changes in too little timeExtra costs would not be too significant – most state boards have enough money, just not budgeted correctlyMay have to employ financial analysts – extra $