By Richard Rothstein (Click here to view the entire P&R issue) Several commentators charge that I devote too much attention to social reform and not enough to school improvement as a strategy for equalizing outcomes between blacks and whites. Getting the balance right is difficult, but the biggest obstacle to doing so is an excessive emphasis on the role of schools. Were … [Read more...] about “Rothstein Responds” by Richard Rothstein (September-October 2004 P&R Issue)
“Schools Count” by Dianne M. Piché and Tamar Ruth (September-Ocober P&R Issue)
By Dianne M. Piché and Tamar Ruth (Click here to view the entire P&R issue) In Class and Schools, Richard Rothstein suggests that school reform will not produce results unless and until the entire liberal social and economic agenda is fully enacted. He has summarized a one-sided collection of unsurprising and not very new studies about the impact of poverty, … [Read more...] about “Schools Count” by Dianne M. Piché and Tamar Ruth (September-Ocober P&R Issue)
“Family and School Matter” by Krista Kafer (September-October 2004 P&R Issue)
By Krista Kafer (Click here to view the entire P&R issue) Richard Rothstein is right. His new book Class and Schools underscores what researchers like James Coleman, Derek Neal and Christopher Jencks have been saying for decades: Life outside of school is the greatest predictor of success in school. Richard Rothstein is right. His new book Class and Schools … [Read more...] about “Family and School Matter” by Krista Kafer (September-October 2004 P&R Issue)
“Even the Best Schools Can’t Do It Alone” by Richard Rothstein (September-October 2004 P&R Issue)
By Richard Rothstein (Click here to view the entire P&R issue) At a time when the No Child Left Behind Act all but monopolizes the debate on school reform, Richard Rothstein raises important points that underscore the broader context of public education—a context that deserves to be taken seriously now more than ever. To be sure, schools will benefit when policymakers … [Read more...] about “Even the Best Schools Can’t Do It Alone” by Richard Rothstein (September-October 2004 P&R Issue)
“What Teachers Know” by Mark Simon (September-October 2004 P&R Issue)
By Mark Simon (Click here to view the entire P&R issue) For teachers, the most disheartening aspect of the Administration’s “No Child Left Behind” agenda is the dishonesty in the goals and supposed success stories. No responsible educator disagrees with the stated purpose of leaving no child behind and closing the achievement gap, but we must begin with the truth. For … [Read more...] about “What Teachers Know” by Mark Simon (September-October 2004 P&R Issue)