Education Compend 2014

8/10/2019 Education Compend 2014

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The Discussion Seminars

There )ill *e one !iscussion seminar in +our American ultural Stu!ies course co,erin" the

to-ic of American E!ucation.

A com-en!ium of articles for this to-ic )ill *e -lace! on the )e*site a--ro/imatel+ one )eek *efore the rele,ant stu!+ "rou- session. The !iscussion in +our stu!+ "rou-s an! in the seminar )ill *e *ase! on the articles containe! in this com-en!ium an! the !iscussion 0uestionsfollo)in" each of the articles.

The seminar is o*li"ator+ an! +ou )ill *e e/-ecte! to kno) the main -oints co,ere! in the!iscussion in the e/am.

Seminar 1: American Education

This is +our set of articles for the seminar on American e!ucation. At this -oint +ou )ill ha,eatten!e! all of the lectures on e!ucation an! ha,e rea! the a--ro-riate cha-ter in +our course

*ook. In a!!ition% +ou )ill *e e/-ecte! to -re-are in the follo)in" )a+1

2 Print out an! read the articles *elo) an! the !iscussion 0uestions at the en! of each

article% underlining the -oints most rele,ant to the 0uestions.2 Put to"ether written ans)ers for all the 0uestions including the tasks. The 0uestions

marke! )ith 3 or sa+ Task means that +ou must !o some -ri,ate research for theinformation. The 0uestions in 4 5 !o not nee! )ritten ans)ers6 the+ are there for e/traclassroom !iscussion if +ou ha,e the time.

2 7eet in +our stu!+ "rou-s 4see timeta*le5 an! !iscuss the articles an! the 0uestions.This !iscussion is meant to "i,e +ou a )i!er un!erstan!in" an! to hel- +ou clear u-!ifficult -oints. 8*,iousl+ this !iscussion must *e in En"lish.

$eel free to a!! to or mo!if+ +our ans)ers if the !iscussion has influence! +ou in some )a+% *ut each stu!ent must *rin" individually )ritten notes to the seminar.

The seminar itself )ill *e or"ani9e! -artl+ in "rou-s 4note1 not the same "rou-s as in the stu!+sessions5 an! -artl+ as a )hole class.

&



BACK!"#$D %$&"!'AT%"$The (ollowing in(ormation comes (rom a grou) called Parents in Charge &oundation* +ou

do $"T have to (ollow the links, -ut you must read the di((erent descri)tions* This will

give you an overview o( the di((erent choices )arents have in the #S*

School Choice: The most common school choice o-tions inclu!e1To)ical %nde.

School hoice : GeneralUni,ersal Tuition Ta/ re!itsSchool Vouchersharter SchoolsSchoolin" at ;omeIn!e-en!ent Schools

School Choice//eneral

The "oals of school choice inclu!e im-ro,in" stu!ent outcomes% em-o)erin" -arents )ithfinancial control o,er ho) e!ucation !ollars are s-ent% makin" schools res-onsi,e to -arents<an! stu!ents< curriculum !eman!s% creatin" com-etition amon" schools% e/-an!in" the ran"e of e!ucation o-tions% relatin" e!ucation s-en!in" to measura*le results% freein" a!ministrators an!teachers to inno,ate% an! re!ucin" the *ur!en of -u*lic ca-ital e/-en!itures to kee- u- )ith

-o-ulation "ro)th. There are a ,ariet+ of school choice -lans that a!!ress these "oals.

#niversal Tuition Ta. Credits

Uni,ersal Tuition Ta/ re!its% calle! UTT for short% is a s+stem *+ )hich -arents -a+ theschool their son or !au"hter atten!s an!% in turn% school tuition is !e!ucte! from the stateincome ta/es of the -arents makin" the -a+ment. The result1 stu!ents )ho normall+ )oul!n=tha,e the o--ortunit+ to atten! a school other than the one locate! )ithin their !istrict are "i,enthat o--ortunit+ *ecause of the UTT2*ase! s+stem. UTT% unlike school ,ouchers% )oul! not

allo) state fun!s to su--ort reli"ious schools% !rain an+ fun!in" from -u*lic schools% or s-a)nne) entitlements in -ri,ate schools. Instea!% Uni,ersal Tuition Ta/ re!its )ill take less than#'> of stu!ents in -u*lic schools an! ai! them in mi"ration to -ri,ate or home schools:theschools that the+ or their -arents )ant them to atten!. This s+stem sa,es state an! local"o,ernments lar"e sums of mone+ )hile also -ro,i!in" a 0ualit+ e!ucation to stu!ents in asettin" of their choice. Stu!ents an! -arents alike are there*+ em-o)ere! to take a -roacti,erole in the e!ucation -rocess. . . .

School 0ouchers

In a school ,oucher s+stem% all !esi"nate! stu!ents )oul! recei,e ,ouchers for a s-ecifie!amount of mone+ "oo! at an+ school:-u*lic% -ri,ate% or alternati,e. The school a!mittin" the

stu!ent )oul! then re!eem the ,oucher for -a+ment. ?e-en!in" u-on the amount of the,oucher% the stu!ents= tuition *ill )oul! *e -artiall+ or full+ -ai! *+ the local or state"o,ernment.

Uni,ersal ,ouchers )oul! allo) all -arents to !irect fun!s set asi!e for e!ucation *+ the"o,ernment to sen! their chil!ren to a school of choice% )hether that school is -u*lic% -ri,ateor reli"ious se-arates the "o,ernment financin" of e!ucation from the "o,ernment o-eration ofschools. 7eans2teste! ,ouchers ena*le income2eli"i*le families% usuall+ in limite! num*ers% to!irect fun!s set asi!e for e!ucation *+ the "o,ernment to -a+ for tuition at the -u*lic% -ri,ate or reli"ious school of their choice. . . .

Charter Schools

harter schools are -u*licl+ fun!e! schools that are "rante! a hi"h !e"ree of autonom+ from

@

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#School_Choice_-_General_

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#Tax_Credits_

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#Vouchers

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#Charter_Schools

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#Home_Schools_

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#Independent_Schools_

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#school_choice_options




http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#Tax_Credits_

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#Vouchers

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#Charter_Schools

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#Home_Schools_

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#Independent_Schools_

http://www.picfoundation.org/issues.htm#school_choice_options



e/istin" rules an! re"ulations. ?e-en!in" u-on state la)% teachers% -arents% or other )oul!2*ee!ucators can a--l+ for -ermission to o-en a school. The charter ma+ *e "rante! *+% fore/am-le% the local school *oar!% the state *oar! of e!ucation% or a -u*lic institution of hi"here!ucation% !e-en!in" u-on the state. Some states also allo) e/istin" -u*lic or nonsectarian

-ri,ate schools to con,ert to charter status. harter schools ha,e the -otential to control theiro)n *u!"et% staffin" an! curriculum% *ut their autonom+ ,aries from state to state. The+ mustattract stu!ents an! achie,e the results a"ree! to in their charters% or their contracts can *e

re,oke!.

harter schools are semi2autonomous -u*lic schools% foun!e! *+ e!ucators% -arents%communit+ "rou-s or -ri,ate or"ani9ations that o-erate un!er a )ritten contract )ith a state%!istrict or other entit+. This contract% or charter% !etails ho) the school )ill *e or"ani9e! an!mana"e!% )hat stu!ents )ill *e tau"ht an! e/-ecte! to achie,e% an! ho) success )ill *emeasure!. 7an+ charter schools enBo+ free!om from rules an! re"ulations affectin" other

-u*lic schools% as lon" as the+ continue to meet terms of their charters. harter schools can *eclose! for failin" to satisf+ these terms.

. . . .

Schooling at ome

Each fall )hen school *e"ins% a "ro)in" num*er of school2a"e! chil!ren !o not hea! off to aclassroom. Instea!% the+ learn at home )ith their families or )ith other chil!ren in theircommunities. ;omeschoolin" takes man+ forms% from a !ail+ routine follo)in" a sche!ule!curriculum to chil!2le! learnin" in )hich -arents su-er,ise an! hel-. 7an+ families choosehomeschoolin" for the aca!emic% social% moral an! reli"ious a!,anta"es it offers6 for others% thechil!ren<s health an! safet+ are !eterminin" factors. 7ost families cite a com*ination of thesereasons to e/-lain )h+ the+ homeschool their chil!ren. ;omeschoolin" has man+ a!,anta"esto the alternati,es6 it allo)s stron" *on!s *et)een families to flourish% -ro,i!es the necessar+trainin" in life skills% an! offers a !e"ree of safet+ that no -u*lic school can. 7oreo,er% -arentskno) their o)n chil!ren *etter than an+ other teacher or mentor% an! therefore the+ can a!Bustto their stu!ents= nee!s most a--ro-riatel+. $or -arents )ho o*Bect to the content *ein" tau"htin -u*lic schools% homeschoolin" can *e the -erfect solution.

!esearch:

2 Aca!emic E/cellence of ;omeschoolers Pro,en in Stu!ies #'C&''(2 ase Stu!+ on ;omeschoolin" A?;? hil!ren1 Aca!emic En"a"ement Soars '#C&''(2 ;omeschoolin" Gro)s U-1 Stu!+ of A!ults That Dere ;omeschoole! #&C&''@. . . .

%nde)endent Schools

In!e-en!ent schools% unlike other schools% are not a!ministere! *+ an+ le,el of "o,ernment an!fun!e! *+ char"in" their stu!ents tuition rather than acce-tin" -u*lic fun!s. In!e-en!entschools "enerall+ select their o)n stu!ents. The in!e-en!ent sector is !i,erse% offerin"e!ucation accor!in" to ,arious -hiloso-hies. There are ,arieties of in!e-en!ent or -ri,ateschools ran"in" from -reschools to -ri,ate colle"es an! uni,ersities. Amon" the t+-es ofin!e-en!ent schools are -arochial schools% -re-arator+ schools% *oar!in" schools%tra!eC,ocational schools% sin"le2se/ schools% s-ecial assistance schools% an! e,en some militar+schools.

In!e-en!ent schools often ha,e the fle/i*ilit+ to a,oi! state re"ulations that stifle alternati,ee!ucational -ractices. Therefore it is often easier for a small "rou- of committe! -arents or

(

http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp


http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&eric_viewStyle=list&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=homeschooling&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=kw&eric_displayNtriever=false&eric_displayStartCount=21&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&objectId=0900000b80275939


http://www.hslda.org/research/ray2003/default.asp







teachers to create an! maintain an in!e-en!ent school than a state2finance! school.

What It Takes to Make a Student (edited)By PAUL TOUGH

Published: November 26, 2006, The New York Times (www!y"imes#om$

On the morning of Oct. 5, President Bush and his education secretary, Margaret Se!!ings, aid

a "isit, a!ong #ith camera cre#s from $%% and &o' %e#s, to &riendshiWoodridge

!ementary and Midd!e $amus, a charter u*!ic schoo! in Washington. The resident

droed in on t#o c!assrooms, #here he asked the students, a!most a!! of #hom #ere +frican

+merican and oor, if they #ere !anning to go to co!!ege. "ery hand #ent u. See, that-s a

good sign, the resident to!d the students #hen they assem*!ed !ater in the gym. /oing to

co!!ege is an imortant goa! for the future of the 0nited States of +merica. 1e sing!ed out one

student, a *!ack eighth grader named +sia /oode, #ho came to Woodridge four years ear!ier

reading #e!! *e!o# grade !e"e!. But things had changed for +sia, according to the resident.

1er teachers stayed after schoo! to tutor her, and she caught u, he said. +sia is no# an

honors student. She !o"es reading, and she sings in the schoo! choir.

%us"i!e &url'!d or The New )or* Times

&+PPs missio! is "o -ive s"ude!"s li*e "hese i"h "o ei-h"h-r'ders i! "he .ou"h Bro!/ '! eve! be""er edu#'"io! "h'! "heir

whi"e middle#l'ss #ou!"er1'r"s

MOTTOS MATTER Bu" #ohere!" -o'ls, #le'r lesso! 1l'!s '!d

"e'#hers willi!- "o 1u" i! 3hour d'ys m'""er eve! more '"

&+PP s#hools

2$o child 3e(t Behind4

ush=s Doo!ri!"e tri- came in the mi!!le of a tou"h mi!term election cam-ai"n% an! there

)as certainl+ some short2term -olitical calculation in *ein" -hoto"ra-he! amon" smilin" *lack

faces. ut this )as more than a -hoto o--ortunit+. The -resi!ent ha! come to Doo!ri!"e to talk

a*out the most am*itious -iece of !omestic le"islation his a!ministration ha! enacte! after

almost si/ +ears in office1 No hil! Left ehin!. The contro,ersial e!ucation la)% )hich

esta*lishe! a series of stan!ar!s for schools an! states to meet an! a ,ariet+ of -enalties for

fallin" short% is u- for reauthori9ation ne/t +ear in front of a -otentiall+ hostile on"ress% an!

for the la) to )in a--ro,al a"ain% the Dhite ;ouse )ill ha,e to con,ince Americans that it is)orkin" : an! also con,ince them of e/actl+ )hat% in this case% F)orkin" reall+ means.

H

http://pop_me_up2%28%27http//www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/11/21/magazine/26student.1.html',%20'26student_1',%20'width=720,height=600,scrollbars=yes,toolbars=no,resizable=yes')



%us"i!e &url'!d or The New )or* Times

MODEL BEHAVIOR &ids li*e Niy' He!ry, ' se#o!d -r'der '"

'! A#hieveme!" 4irs" #h'r"er s#hool i! Broo*ly!, le'r! '

sys"em or #o!du#" "o !od while lis"e!i!- "o "he "e'#her, or

e/'m1le 'lo!- wi"h re'di!- '!d m'"h

When the !a# took effect, at the *eginning of 2332, officia! Washington #as reoccuied #ith

foreign affairs, and many eo!e in go"ernment, and many outside it too, inc!uding the

educators most affected *y the !egis!ation, seemed s!o# to take notice of its most re"o!utionary

ro"ision4 a !edge to e!iminate, in ust 62 years, the achie"ement ga *et#een *!ack and #hite

students, and the one *et#een oor and midd!ec!ass students. By 2367, the resident "o#ed,

+frican+merican, 1isanic and oor chi!dren, a!! of #hom #ere at the time scoring #e!!

*e!o# their #hite counterarts and those in the midd!e c!ass on standardi8ed tests, #ou!d not

on!y catch u #ith the rest of the nation9 they #ou!d a!so reach 633 ercent roficiency in *oth

math and reading. It #as a start!ing commitment, and it made the romise in the !a#-s tit!e a

!itera! one4 the federa! go"ernment #ou!d not a!!o# a sing!e +merican chi!d to *e educated to

!ess than that high standard.

It #as this e!ement of the !a# that the resident had come to Woodridge to ta!k a*out. There-s

an achie"ement ga in +merica that-s not good for the future of this country, he to!d the

cro#d. Some kids can read at grade !e"e!, and some can-t. +nd that-s unsatisfactory.

But there #as good ne#s, the resident conc!uded4 I-m roud to reort the achie"ement ga

*et#een #hite kids and minority students is c!osing, for the good of the 0nited States.

This contention : that the achie"ement ga is on its #ay to the dust*in of history : is one that

Bush and Se!!ings ha"e e'ressed fre;uent!y in the ast year. +nd the ga *etter *e c!osing4

the !a# is coming u on its fifth anni"ersary. In ust se"en more years, if the romise of %o

$hi!d <eft Behind is going to *e ket, the erformances of #hite and *!ack students ha"e to *e

indistinguisha*!e.

But desite the g!o#ing reorts from the White 1ouse and the ducation =eartment, the

most recent iteration of the %ationa! +ssessment of ducationa! Progress, the test of fourth

and eighthgrade students common!y referred to as the nation-s reort card, is not reassuring.In 2332, #hen %o $hi!d <eft Behind #ent into effect, 6> ercent of the nation-s *!ack eighth

grade students #ere roficient in reading, the assessment-s standard measure of grade!e"e!



cometence. By 2335 (the !atest data), that num*er had droed to 62 ercent. (?eading

roficiency among #hite eighthgrade students droed to >@ ercent, from 76 ercent.) The

ga *et#een economic c!asses isn-t disaearing, either4 in 2332, 6A ercent of oor eighth

grade students (measured *y e!igi*i!ity for free or reducedrice schoo! !unches) #ere

roficient in reading9 in 2335, that num*er fe!! to 65 ercent.

The most romising indications in the nationa! test cou!d *e found in the fourthgrade math

resu!ts, in #hich the ercentage of oor students at the roficient !e"e! umed to 6@ ercent in

2335, from ercent in 23339 for *!ack students, the num*er umed to 6> ercent, from 5

ercent. This #as a significant increase, *ut it #as sti!! far short of the roficiency figure for

#hite students, #hich rose to 7A ercent in 2335, and it #as a !ong #ay from 633 ercent.

In the first fe# years of this decade, t#o ara!!e! de*ates a*out the achie"ement ga ha"e

emerged. The first is a*out causes9 the second is a*out cures. The first has *een taking !ace in

academia, among economists and anthroo!ogists and socio!ogists #ho are trying to figure out

e'act!y #here the ga comes from, #hy it e'ists and #hy it ersists. The second is haening

among and around a !oose coa!ition of schoo!s, a!! of them ;uite ne#, a!! esta*!ished #ith the

goa! of #iing out the achie"ement ga a!together.

The t#o de*ates seem *are!y to o"er!a : the rincia!s don-t ay much attention to the

research aers *eing u*!ished in scho!ar!y ourna!s, and the academics ha"e yet to study

c!ose!y #hat is going on in these schoo!s. 'amined together, though, they ro"ide a com!ete

and nuanced icture, sometimes disheartening, sometimes hoefu!, of #hat the resident andhis education officia!s are u against as they stri"e to kee the romise they ha"e made. The

academics ha"e demonstrated ust ho# dee!y er"asi"e and ingrained are the inte!!ectua! and

academic disad"antages that oor and minority students must o"ercome to comete #ith their

#hite and midd!ec!ass eers. The di"isions *et#een *!ack and #hite and rich and oor *egin

a!most at *irth, and they are reinforced e"ery day of a chi!d-s !ife. +nd yet the schoo!s ro"ide

e"idence that the resident is, in his most *asic understanding of the ro*!em, entire!y right4

the achie"ement ga can *e o"ercome, in a con"incing #ay, for !arge num*ers of oor and

minority students, not in generations *ut in years. What he and others seem not to ha"e

arehended ;uite yet is the magnitude of the effort that #i!! *e re;uired for that change to

take !ace.

But the e"idence is *ecoming difficu!t to ignore4 #hen educators do succeed at educating oor

minority students u to nationa! standards of roficiency, they in"aria*!y use methods that are

radica!!y different and more intensi"e than those em!oyed in most +merican u*!ic schoo!s.

So as the %o $hi!d <eft Behind !a# comes u for reauthori8ation ne't year, +mericans are

facing an increasing!y stark choice4 is the nation rea!!y committed to guaranteeing that a!! of

the country-s students #i!! succeed to the same high !e"e!C +nd if so, ho# hard are #e #i!!ing to

#ork, and #hat resources are #e #i!!ing to commit, to achie"e that goa!C

J



[Research]

In the years after Wor!d War II, and esecia!!y after the ci"i! rights reforms of the 6@D3s, *!ack

+mericans- standardi8edtest scores imro"ed steadi!y and significant!y, comared #ith those

of #hites. But at some oint in the !ate 6@3s, after decades of rogress, the narro#ing of the

ga sta!!ed, and *et#een 6@ and 6@@7 *!ack reading scores actua!!y fe!! *y a si8a*!e amount

on the nationa! assessment. What had aeared to *e an ine'ora*!e ad"ance to#ard e;ua!ity

had run out of steam, and +frican+merican schoo!chi!dren seemed to *e stuck #e!! *ehind

their #hite eers.

The issue #as com!icated *y the fact that there are rea!!y t#o o"er!aing testscore gas4 the

one *et#een *!ack chi!dren and #hite chi!dren, and the one *et#een oor chi!dren and *etter

off chi!dren. /i"en that those categories tend to o"er!a : *!ack chi!dren are three times as

!ike!y to gro# u in o"erty as #hite chi!dren : many eo!e #ondered #hether focusing on

race #as in fact a usefu! aroach. Why not ust concentrate on correcting the academicdisad"antages of oor eo!eC So!"e those, and the *!ack#hite ga #i!! so!"e itse!f.

There had, in fact, *een e"idence for a !ong time that oor chi!dren fe!! *ehind rich and

midd!ec!ass chi!dren ear!y, and stayed *ehind. But researchers had *een una*!e to iso!ate the

reasons for the di"ergence. =id rich arents ha"e *etter genesC =id they "a!ue education

moreC Was it that rich arents *ought more *ooks and educationa! toys for their chi!drenC

Was it *ecause they #ere more !ike!y to stay married than oor arentsC Or #as it that rich

chi!dren ate more nutritious foodC Mo"ed !ess oftenC Watched !ess TEC /ot more s!eeC

Without *eing a*!e to identify the imortant factors and e!iminate the irre!e"ant ones, there

#as no #ay e"en to *egin to find a strategy to shrink the ga.

?esearchers *egan eering dee into +merican homes, studying u c!ose the interactions

*et#een arents and chi!dren. The first scho!ars to emerge #ith a secific cu!rit in hand #ere

Betty 1art and Todd ?. ?is!ey, chi!d sycho!ogists at the 0ni"ersity of Fansas, #ho in 6@@5

u*!ished the resu!ts of an intensi"e research roect on !anguage ac;uisition. Ten years

ear!ier, they recruited 72 fami!ies #ith ne#*orn chi!dren in Fansas $ity, and for the fo!!o#ing

three years they "isited each fami!y once a month, recording a*so!ute!y e"erything thatoccurred *et#een the chi!d and the arent or arents. The researchers then transcri*ed each

encounter and ana!y8ed each chi!d-s !anguage de"e!oment and each arent-s communication

sty!e. They found, first, that "oca*u!ary gro#th differed shar!y *y c!ass and that the ga

*et#een the c!asses oened ear!y. By age >, chi!dren #hose arents #ere rofessiona!s had

"oca*u!aries of a*out 6,633 #ords, and chi!dren #hose arents #ere on #e!fare had

"oca*u!aries of a*out 525 #ords. The chi!dren-s I.G.-s corre!ated c!ose!y to their "oca*u!aries.

The a"erage I.G. among the rofessiona! chi!dren #as 66A, and the #e!fare chi!dren had an

a"erage I.G. of A@.



When 1art and ?is!ey then addressed the ;uestion of ust #hat caused those "ariations, the

ans#er they arri"ed at #as start!ing. By comaring the "oca*u!ary scores #ith their

o*ser"ations of each chi!d-s home !ife, they #ere a*!e to conc!ude that the si8e of each chi!d-s

"oca*u!ary corre!ated most c!ose!y to one sim!e factor4 the num*er of #ords the arents

soke to the chi!d. That "aried great!y across the homes they "isited, and again, it "aried *y

c!ass. In the rofessiona! homes, arents directed an a"erage of 7A utterances : anythingfrom a one#ord command to a fu!! so!i!o;uy : to their chi!dren each hour. In #e!fare homes,

the chi!dren heard 6A utterances er hour.

What-s more, the kinds of #ords and statements that chi!dren heard "aried *y c!ass. The most

*asic difference #as in the num*er of discouragements a chi!d heard : rohi*itions and

#ords of disaro"a! : comared #ith the num*er of encouragements, or #ords of raise and

aro"a!. By age >, the a"erage chi!d of a rofessiona! heard a*out 533,333 encouragements

and 3,333 discouragements. &or the #e!fare chi!dren, the situation #as re"ersed4 they heard,

on a"erage, a*out A5,333 encouragements and 233,333 discouragements. 1art and ?is!ey

found that as the num*er of #ords a chi!d heard increased, the com!e'ity of that !anguage

increased as #e!!. +s con"ersation mo"ed *eyond sim!e instructions, it *!ossomed into

discussions of the ast and future, of fee!ings, of a*stractions, of the #ay one thing causes

another : a!! of #hich stimu!ated inte!!ectua! de"e!oment.

1art and ?is!ey sho#ed that !anguage e'osure in ear!y chi!dhood corre!ated strong!y #ith I.G.

and academic success !ater on in a chi!d-s !ife. 1earing fe#er #ords, and a !ot of rohi*itions

and discouragements, had a negati"e effect on I.G.9 hearing !ots of #ords, and moreaffirmations and com!e' sentences, had a ositi"e effect on I.G. The rofessiona! arents

#ere gi"ing their chi!dren an ad"antage #ith e"ery #ord they soke, and the ad"antage ust

ket *ui!ding u.

In the years since 1art and ?is!ey u*!ished their findings, socia! scientists ha"e e'amined

other e!ements of the arentchi!d re!ationshi, and #hi!e their methods ha"e "aried, their

conc!usions a!! oint to *ig c!ass differences in chi!dren-s inte!!ectua! gro#th. Heanne Brooks

/unn, a rofessor at Teachers $o!!ege, has o"erseen hundreds of inter"ie#s of arents and

co!!ected thousands of hours of "ideotae of arents and chi!dren, and she and her research

team ha"e graded each one on a "ariety of sca!es. Their conc!usion4 $hi!dren from more #e!!

off homes tend to e'erience arenta! attitudes that are more sensiti"e, more encouraging, !ess

intrusi"e and !ess detached : a!! of #hich, they found, ser"es to increase I.G. and schoo!

readiness. They ana!y8ed the data to see if there #as something e!se going on in midd!ec!ass

homes that cou!d account for the ad"antage *ut found that #hi!e #ea!th does matter, chi!d

rearing sty!e matters more.

=oes o"erty itse!f need to *e eradicated, or can its effects on chi!dren someho# *e

counteractedC $an the cu!ture of chi!drearing *e changed in oor neigh*orhoods, and if so, is

that a roect that go"ernment or community organi8ations ha"e the a*i!ity, or the right, to



take onC Is it enough sim!y to educate oor chi!dren in the same #ay that midd!ec!ass

chi!dren are educatedC +nd can any schoo!, on its o#n, rea!!y ro"ide an education to oor

minority students that #ou!d a!!o# them to achie"e the same resu!ts as midd!ec!ass studentsC

[Raising levels of achievement?]

There is, in fact, e"idence emerging that some schoo!s are succeeding at the difficu!t task of

educating oor minority students to high !e"e!s of achie"ement. But there is sti!! great

disagreement a*out ust ho# many schoo!s are u!!ing this off and #hat those successfu!

schoo!s mean for the rest of the +merican education system. One #e!!u*!ici8ed e"a!uation of

those ;uestions has come from the ducation Trust, a o!icy grou in Washington that has

issued a series of reorts making the case that there are !enty of #hat they ca!! high f!ying

schoo!s, #hich they define as higho"erty or highminority schoo!s #hose students score in

the to third of a!! schoo!s in their state. The grou-s !andmark reort, u*!ished in =ecem*er

2336, identified 6,>23 high f!ying schoo!s nation#ide that #ere *oth higho"erty and highminority. This #as a *ig num*er, and it had a o#erfu! effect on the de*ate o"er the

achie"ement ga. The essimists : those #ho *e!ie"ed that the disad"antages of o"erty #ere

a!! *ut imossi*!e to o"ercome in u*!ic schoo!s : #ere dea!t a serious *!o#. If the reort-s

figures he!d u, it meant that high achie"ement for oor minority kids #as not some oneina

mi!!ion occurrence9 it #as haening a!! the time, a!! around us.

But in the years since the reort-s re!ease, its conc!usions ha"e *een cha!!enged *y scho!ars and

ana!ysts #ho ha"e argued that the ducation Trust made it too easy to *e inc!uded on their !ist.

To *e counted as a highf!ier, a schoo! needed to recei"e a high score in on!y one su*ect in one

grade in one year. If your schoo! had a good fourthgrade reading score, it #as on the !ist, e"en

if a!! its other scores #ere mediocre. To many researchers, that #as an uncon"incing standard

of academic success. =oug!as 1arris, a rofessor of education and economics at &!orida State

0ni"ersity, ored o"er ducation Trust-s data, trying to ascertain ho# many of the highf!ying

schoo!s #ere a*!e to register consistent!y good num*ers. When he tightened the definition of

success to inc!ude on!y schoo!s that had high scores in t#o su*ects in t#o different grades o"er

t#o different years, 1arris cou!d find on!y 2> higho"erty, highminority schoo!s in the

ducation Trust-s data*ase, a !ong #ay do#n from 6,>23.

That num*er isn-t e'hausti"e9 1arris says he has no dou*t that there are some great schoo!s

that s!ied through his data sie"e. But his resu!ts sti!! oint to a "ery different story than the

one the origina! reort to!d. ducation Trust officia!s intended their data to refute the idea that

fami!y *ackground is the !eading cause of student erformance. But on c!oser e'amination,

their data !arge!y confirm that idea, demonstrating c!ear!y that the *est redictors of a schoo!-s

achie"ement scores are the race and #ea!th of its student *ody. + u*!ic schoo! that enro!!s

most!y #e!!off #hite kids has a 6 in 7 chance of earning consistent!y high test scores, 1arrisfound9 a schoo! #ith most!y oor minority kids has a 6 in >33 chance.

[Charter schools]

#'



=esite those !ong odds, the !ast decade : and esecia!!y the !ast fe# years : ha"e seen the

creation of do8ens, e"en hundreds, of schoo!s across the country dedicated to recise!y that

mission4 de!i"ering consistent!y high resu!ts #ith a ou!ation that genera!!y achie"es

consistent!y !o# resu!ts. The schoo!s that ha"e taken on this mission most aggressi"e!y tend to

*e charter schoo!s : the u*!ic!y financed, ri"ate!y run institutions that make u one of the

most contro"ersia! educationa! e'eriments of our time. Because charters e'ist outside thecontro! of u*!icschoo! *oards and are genera!!y not re;uired to adhere to union contracts

#ith their teachers, they ha"e attracted significant oosition, and their oonents are a*!e to

oint to !enty of e"idence that the charter roect has fai!ed. ar!y charter ad"ocates c!aimed

the schoo!s #ou!d raise test scores across the *oard, and that hasn-t haened9 nationa!!y,

scores for charterschoo! students are the same as or !o#er than scores for u*!icschoo!

students. But *y another measure, charter schoo!s ha"e succeeded4 *y a!!o#ing educators to

e'eriment in #ays that they genera!!y can-t inside u*!icschoo! systems, they ha"e !ed to the

creation of a sma!! *ut gro#ing cors of schoo!s #ith ne# and am*itious methods foreducating students facing rea! academic cha!!enges.

In the ear!y years of the charterschoo! mo"ement, e"ery schoo! #as an is!and, trying out its

o#n mad or *ri!!iant educationa! theory. But as charterschoo! roonents ha"e studied the

successes and !earned from the mistakes of their redecessors, atterns, e"en a consensus,

ha"e *egun to emerge. The schoo!s that are achie"ing the most imressi"e resu!ts #ith oor

and minority students tend to fo!!o# three ractices. &irst, they re;uire many more hours of

c!ass time than a tyica! u*!ic schoo!. The schoo! day starts ear!y, at a.m. or *efore, and

often continues unti! after 7 .m. These schoo!s offer additiona! tutoring after schoo! as #e!! as

c!asses on Saturday mornings, and summer "acation usua!!y !asts on!y a*out a month. The

schoo!s try to !ea"en those !ong hours #ith music c!asses, foreign !anguages, tris and sorts,

*ut they send a #ho!e !ot of time going o"er the *asics4 reading and math.

Second, they treat c!assroom instruction and !esson !anning as much as a science as an art.

'!icit goa!s are set for each year, month and day of each c!ass, and rincia!s ha"e

considera*!e authority to redirect and e"en remo"e teachers #ho aren-t meeting those goa!s.

The schoo!s- !eaders *e!ie"e in fre;uent testing, #hich, they say, !ets them measure #hat is #orking and #hat isn-t, and they use test resu!ts to make adustments to the curricu!um as

they go. Teachers are trained and retrained, fre;uent!y o*ser"ed and assessed *y their

rincia!s and suerintendents. There is an emhasis on resu!ts *ut a!so on team *ui!ding

and cooeration and creati"ity, and the schoo!s seem, to an outsider at !east, !ike genuine!y

re#arding !aces to #ork, desite the !ong hours. They tend to attract young, enthusiastic

teachers, inc!uding many a!umni of Teach for +merica, the rogram that recruits graduates

from to uni"ersities to #ork for t#o years in innercity u*!ic schoo!s.

Third, they make a conscious effort to guide the *eha"ior, and e"en the "a!ues, of their

students *y teaching #hat they ca!! character. 0sing s!ogans, moti"ationa! osters, incenti"es,

encouragements and unishments, the schoo!s direct students in e"erything from the

##



rinci!es of team#ork and the imortance of an otimistic out!ook to the nuts and *o!ts of

ho# to sit in c!ass, #here to direct their eyes #hen a teacher is ta!king and e"en ho# to nod

aroriate!y.

The schoo!s are, in the end, a counterintuiti"e com*ination of touchyfee!y idea!ism and

intense disci!ine. Their guiding hi!osohy is in many #ays a ref!ection of the findings ofscho!ars !ike <areau and 1art and ?is!ey : !ike those academics, these schoo! !eaders see

chi!dhood as a series of inuts and oututs. When students enro!! in one of these schoo!s

(usua!!y in fifth or si'th grade), they are often t#o or more grade !e"e!s *ehind. 0sua!!y they

ha"e missed out on many of the mi!!ions of e"eryday inte!!ectua! and emotiona! stimu!i that

their *etteroff eers ha"e *een e'osed to since *irth. They are, educationa!!y seaking, in

dee trou*!e. The schoo!s reect the notion that a!! that these strugg!ing students need are high

e'ectations9 they do need those, of course, *ut they a!so need secific tyes and amounts of

instruction, *oth in academics and attitude, to comensate for e"erything they did not recei"e

in their first decade of !ife.

[KIPP schools]

It is sti!! too ear!y in the history of this nascent mo"ement to say #hich schoo!s are going to

turn out to *e the most successfu! #ith this ne# aroach to the education of oor chi!dren.

But so far, the most inf!uentia! schoo!s are the ones run *y FIPP, or the Fno#!edge Is Po#er

Program. FIPP-s founders, =a"id <e"in and Michae! &ein*erg, met in 6@@2, #hen they #ere

young co!!ege graduates enro!!ed in Teach for +merica, #orking in innercity u*!ic schoo!s in

1ouston. They strugg!ed at first as teachers *ut #ere determined to figure out ho# to moti"ate

and educate their students. ach night they #ou!d comare notes on #hat #orked in the

c!assroom : songs, games, chants, re#ards : and, *efore !ong, *oth of them *ecame e'ert

c!assroom instructors.

In the fa!! of 6@@7, <e"in and &ein*erg started a midd!e schoo! in 1ouston, teaching ust 53

students, and they named it FIPP. + year !ater, <e"in mo"ed to %e# Jork and started the

second FIPP schoo!, in the South Bron'. +s the FIPP schoo!s gre#, <e"in and &ein*erg

adhered to a fe# *asic rinci!es4 their mission #as to educate !o#income and minoritystudents. They #ou!d emhasi8e measura*!e resu!ts. +nd they #ou!d romise to do #hate"er it

took to he! their students succeed. They offered an e'tended day and an e'tended year that

ro"ided FIPP students #ith a*out D3 ercent more time in schoo! than most u*!icschoo!

students. They set c!ear and strict ru!es of conduct4 their t#o rinci!es of *eha"ior #ere

Work 1ard and Be %ice, and a!! the other ru!es f!o#ed out of those. +t the *eginning of

each year, arents and students signed a !edge : unenforcea*!e *ut genera!!y taken serious!y

: committing to certain standards of hard #ork and *eha"ior. Teachers ga"e students their

ce!!hone num*ers so students cou!d ca!! them at night for home#ork he!.

#&



The methods raised students- test scores, and the schoo!s *egan to attract the attention of the

media and of hi!anthroists. + D3 Minutes reort on the schoo!s in 6@@@ !ed to a K65 mi!!ion

grant from =oris and =ona!d &isher, the founders of the /a, and &ein*erg and <e"in *egan

gradua!!y to e'and FIPP into a nationa! net#ork. T#o years ago, they recei"ed K mi!!ion

from the /ates &oundation to create u to eight FIPP high schoo!s. There are no# 52 FIPP

schoo!s across the country, a!most a!! midd!e schoo!s, and together they are educating 62,333chi!dren. The net#ork is run on a franchise mode!9 each schoo!-s rincia! has considera*!e

autonomy, #hi!e ;ua!ity contro! is e'ercised from the home office in San &rancisco. &ein*erg is

the suerintendent of FIPP-s eight schoo!s in 1ouston, and <e"in is the suerintendent of the

four %e# Jork $ity schoo!s.

FIPP is art of a !oose coa!ition #ith t#o other net#orks of charter schoo!s *ased in and

around %e# Jork $ity. One is +chie"ement &irst, #hich gre# out of the success of +mistad

+cademy, a charter schoo! in %e# 1a"en that #as founded in 6@@@. +chie"ement &irst no#

runs si' schoo!s in %e# 1a"en and Brook!yn. The other net#ork is 0ncommon Schoo!s, #hich

#as started *y a founder of %orth Star +cademy in %e#ark a!ong #ith rincia!s from three

acc!aimed charter schoo!s in Massachusetts9 it no# inc!udes se"en schoo!s in ?ochester,

%e#ark and Brook!yn. The connections among the three net#orks are most!y informa!, *ased

on the friendshis that *ind <e"in to %orman +tkins, the former ourna!ist #ho founded %orth

Star, and to =acia To!!, the ?hodes scho!ar and Ja!e <a# graduate #ho started +mistad #ith

=oug Mc$urry, a former teacher

Students at *oth FIPP and +chie"ement &irst schoo!s fo!!o# a system for c!assroom *eha"iorin"ented *y <e"in and &ein*erg ca!!ed S!ant, #hich instructs them to sit u, !isten, ask

;uestions, nod and track the seaker #ith their eyes <e"in-s contention is that +mericans of a

certain *ackground !earn these methods for taking in information ear!y on and em!oy them

instincti"e!y. FIPP students, he says, need to *e taught the methods e'!icit!y.

Sti!!, <e"in says that the inno"ations a "isitor to a FIPP schoo! might notice first : the

S!anting and the #a!!s festooned #ith s!ogans and mottos (Team +!#ays Beats Indi"idua!,

+!! of 0s Wi!! <earn) and the order!y ro#s of students #a!king in the ha!!#ays : are not the

on!y things contri*uting to the schoo!s- success. ;ua!!y imortant, he says, are !ess "isi*!e

ractices4 c!ear and coherent goa!s for each c!ass9 teachers #ho #ork 65 to 6D hours a day9

carefu! !esson !anning9 and a decade-s #orth of techni;ues, tricks, games and chants designed

to he! "ast amounts of information enetrate oor!y educated *rains "ery ;uick!y.

The schoo!s that To!!, +tkins, <e"in and &ein*erg run are not racia!!y integrated. Most of the

A3 or so schoo!s that make u their three net#orks ha"e on!y one or t#o #hite chi!dren

enro!!ed, or none at a!!. +!though as charter schoo!s, their admission is oen through a !ottery

to any student in the cities they ser"e, their c!ear urose is to educate oor *!ack and

1isanic chi!dren. The guiding rinci!e for the four schoo! !eaders, a!! of #hom are #hite, is

an une'ected t#ist on the searate *ut e;ua! standard4 they assert that for these students,

#@





achie"ement ga. +!though ?othstein ackno#!edges that FIPP-s students are chosen *y !ottery,

he contends in his *ook $!ass and Schoo!s that they are not tyica! !o#erc!ass students.

The "ery fact that their arents #ou!d *other to enro!! them in the !ottery sets them aart from

other innercity chi!dren, he says, adding that there is no e"idence that FIPP-s strategy

#ou!d *e as successfu! for students #hose arents are not moti"ated to choose such a schoo!.

In some #ays, the de*ate seems a tri"ia! one : FIPP is c!ear!y doing a great o* of educating

its students9 do the incoming scores at a sing!e schoo! rea!!y matterC But in fact, FIPP, a!ong

#ith 0ncommon Schoo!s and +chie"ement &irst, is no# at the center of a heated o!itica!

de*ate o"er ust ho# much schoo!s can accom!ish, and that has *rought #ith it a ne# !e"e! of

u*!ic scrutiny. Beginning in the !ate 6@@3s, FIPP, +mistad and %orth Star #ere em*raced *y

ad"ocates from the right #ho *e!ie"ed in the #ho!e menu of conser"ati"e ositions on

education4 schoo! choice, "ouchers, merit ay for teachers. In 2336, the 1eritage &oundation

rofi!ed the FIPP schoo!s in a *ook ca!!ed %o 'cuses4 <essons &rom 26 1ighPerforming,

1ighPo"erty Schoo!s, #hich set out to disro"e the erennia! c!aims of the education

esta*!ishment that oor chi!dren are uneduca*!e. T#o years !ater, +*igai! and Stehan

Thernstrom, the #e!!kno#n conser"ati"e #riters a*out race, *orro#ed the 1eritage

&oundation-s tit!e (#hich #as itse!f *orro#ed from a s!ogan ou!ar at FIPP and other schoo!s)

for their o#n *ook on education, %o 'cuses4 $!osing the ?acia! /a in <earning9 the *ook

used the success of +mistad, %orth Star and, esecia!!y, FIPP to high!ight the fai!ings of the

u*!icschoo! system in ser"ing oor chi!dren. If FIPP can successfu!!y educate these kids, the

Thernstroms asked, #hy can-t e"ery schoo!C

The Thernstroms argue that if #e can ust fi' the schoo!s #here oor chi!dren are educated, it

#i!! *ecome much easier to so!"e a!! the other ro*!ems of o"erty. The oosing argument,

#hich ?othstein and others ha"e made, is that the ro*!ems of oor minority kids are sim!y

too great to *e o"ercome *y any schoo!, no matter ho# effecti"e. 1e oints to the #ork of 1art

and ?is!ey and <areau and argues that the achie"ement ga can *e significant!y diminished

on!y *y correcting, or at !east addressing, the dee ine;uities that di"ide the races and the

c!asses.

<e"in and To!! sometimes seem surrised *y the o!itica! comany they are no# keeing :

and *y the oonents they ha"e attracted. I-m a tota! !i*era!L To!! said, a !itt!e defensi"e!y,

#hen I asked her recent!y a*out this o!itica! di"ide. Many charter ad"ocates c!aim that the

"ie#s of =emocratic o!iticians on charter schoo!s are c!ouded *y the fact that they deend for

*oth money and "otes on the nation-s teachers- unions, #hich are sketica! of charter schoo!s

and in some states ha"e taken stes to *!ock them from e'anding. In $onnecticut, the state

teachers- union this year !o**ied against a !egis!ati"e change to a!!o# for the e'ansion of

+mistad +cademy (it !ater assed), and the union-s !a#yers fi!ed a &reedom of Information +ct

re;uest that re;uired +mistad to turn o"er a!! of its em!oyment and ay records. The union-s

chief !o**yist to!d reorters in +ri! that the state-s charter !a# #as intended on!y to create

#H



incu*ators of inno"ation. It #as ne"er to create a charterschoo! system. +mistad #as

acceta*!e as a sma!! e'eriment, in other #ords, *ut there #as no reason to !et it gro#.

"en if schoo!s !ike FIPP are a!!o#ed to e'and to meet the demand in the educationa!

market!ace : a!! of them ha"e !ong #aiting !ists : it is hard to imagine that, a!one, they #i!!

*e a*!e to make much of a dent in the ro*!em of the achie"ement ga9 there are, after a!!,mi!!ions of oor and minority u*!icschoo! students #ho aren-t getting the education they

need either at home or in the c!assroom. What these charter schoo!s demonstrate, though, is

the effort that #ou!d *e re;uired to ro"ide those students #ith that education.

To!! ut it this #ay4 We #ant to change the con"ersation from Jou can-t educate these kids- to

Jou can on!y educate these kids if. ...- +nd to a great e'tent, she and the other rincia!s ha"e

done so. The message inherent in the success of their schoo!s is that if oor students are going

to catch u, they #i!! re;uire not the same education that midd!ec!ass chi!dren recei"e *ut one

that is considera*!y *etter9 they need more time in c!ass than midd!ec!ass students, *etter

trained teachers and a curricu!um that reares them sycho!ogica!!y and emotiona!!y, as #e!!

as inte!!ectua!!y, for the cha!!enges ahead of them.

?ight no#, of course, they are not getting more than midd!ec!ass students9 they are getting

!ess. &or instance, nation#ide, the *est and most e'erienced teachers are a!!o#ed to choose

#here they teach. +nd since most state contracts offer teachers no *onus or incenti"e for

teaching in a schoo! #ith a high ou!ation of needy chi!dren, the *est teachers tend to go

#here they are needed the !east. + study that the ducation Trust issued in Hune used datafrom I!!inois to demonstrate the oint. I!!inois measures the ;ua!ity of its teachers and di"ides

their scores into four ;uarti!es, and those num*ers sho# g!aring racia! ine;uities. In maority

#hite schoo!s, *ad teachers are rare4 ust 66 ercent of the teachers are in the !o#est ;uarti!e.

But in schoo!s #ith ractica!!y no #hite students, ercent of the teachers are in the #orst

;uarti!e. The same distur*ing attern ho!ds true in terms of o"erty. +t schoo!s #here more

than @3 ercent of the students are oor : #here e'ce!!ent teachers are needed the most :

ust 6 ercent of teachers are in the highest ;uarti!e.

/o"ernment sending on education does not tend to comensate for these ine;uities9 in fact, it

often makes them #orse. /ood#in <iu, a !a# rofessor at the 0ni"ersity of $a!ifornia at

Berke!ey, has comi!ed ersuasi"e e"idence for #hat he ca!!s the country-s education

aartheid. In states #ith more oor chi!dren, sending er ui! is !o#er. In Mississii, for

instance, it is K5,>@6 a year9 in $onnecticut, it is K@,5. Most education financing comes from

state and !oca! go"ernments, *ut the federa! su!ement for oor chi!dren, Tit!e 6, is

regressi"e, <iu oints out, *ecause it is tied to the amount each state sends. So the federa!

go"ernment gi"es +rkansas K@D7 to he! educate each oor chi!d in the state, and it gi"es

Massachusetts K2,37 for each oor chi!d there.

#



Without making a much more serious commitment to the education of oor and minority

students, it is hard to see ho# the federa! go"ernment #i!! *e a*!e to de!i"er on the romise

contained in %o $hi!d <eft Behind. The !a# made states resonsi*!e for turning their oorest

chi!dren into accom!ished scho!ars in a !itt!e more than a decade : a nationa! undertaking on

the order of a moon !anding : *ut ro"ided them #ith !itt!e assistance or e"en direction as to

ho# they might accom!ish that goa!. +nd recent!y, many ad"ocates ha"e *egun to argue thatthe ducation =eartment has ;uiet!y gi"en u on %o $hi!d <eft Behind.

The most ma!ignant e!ement of the origina! !a# #as that it re;uired a!! states to achie"e

roficiency *ut then a!!o#ed each state to define roficiency for itse!f. It took state

go"ernments a cou!e of years to rea!i8e ust #hat that meant, *ut no# they ha"e caught on :

and many of them are engaged in an igno*!e cometition to see #hich state can demand the

!east of its students. +t the head of this ack right no# is Mississii, #hich has dec!ared @

ercent of its fourthgrade students to *e roficient readers, the highest ercentage in the

nation, #hi!e in fact, the %ationa! +ssessment of ducationa! Progress sho#s that on!y 6

ercent of Mississii fourth graders kno# ho# to read at an aroriate !e"e! : the second

!o#est score of any state. In the ast year, +ri8ona, Mary!and, Ohio, %orth =akota and Idaho

a!! fo!!o#ed Mississii-s !ead and s!ashed their standards in order to a!!o# themse!"es to !a*e!

uneducated students educated. The federa! go"ernment has ermitted these maneu"ers, and

after se"era! years of tough ta!k a*out enforcing the !a#-s standards, the ducation

=eartment has in the ast year *egun cutting one dea! after another #ith states that #ant to

redefine success for their schoo!s. (When I soke to Se!!ings this month, she said she #ou!d

aea! to the *etter ange!s of go"ernors and state o!icy makers to kee their standards in

!ine #ith nationa! *enchmarks.)

The a*sence of any ro*ust federa! effort to imro"e higho"erty schoo!s undercuts and

distorts the de*ate o"er the resonsi*i!ity for their ro*!ems. It is true, as the Thernstroms

#rite in their *ook, that dysfunctiona! fami!ies and o"erty are no e'cuse for #idesread,

chronic educationa! fai!ure. But #hi!e those factors are not an e'cuse, they-re certain!y an

e'!anation9 as researchers !ike <areau and Brooks/unn ha"e made c!ear, o"erty and

dysfunction are enormous disad"antages for any chi!d to o"ercome. When <e"in and &ein*erg *egan using the s!ogan %o 'cuses in the mid6@@3s, they intended it to moti"ate their

students and teachers, to remind them that #ithin the conte't of a FIPP schoo!, there #ou!d

a!#ays *e a #ay to achie"e success. But #hen the conser"ati"e education mo"ement adoted

%o 'cuses as a s!ogan, the hrase #as used much more *road!y4 if that rura! +rkansas

u*!ic schoo! isn-t achie"ing the success of a FIPP schoo!, those resonsi*!e for its

underachie"ement must sim!y *e making e'cuses. The s!ogan came to suggest that #hat is

going #rong in the schoo!s is sim!y some sort of fai!ure of #i!! : that teachers don-t #ant to

#ork hard, or don-t *e!ie"e in their students, or are succum*ing to #hat the resident ca!!s

the soft *igotry of !o# e'ectations : #hi!e the rea!ity is that e"en the *est, most moti"ated

educator, gi"en ust si' hours a day and 63 months a year and nothing more than the tyica!

#J



resources ro"ided to a u*!icschoo! teacher, #ou!d find it near imossi*!e to educate an

a"erage c!assroom of oor minority students u to the !e"e! of their midd!ec!ass eers.

The e"idence is no# o"er#he!ming that if you take an a"erage !o#income chi!d and ut him

into an a"erage +merican u*!ic schoo!, he #i!! a!most certain!y come out oor!y educated.

What the sma!! *ut gro#ing num*er of successfu! schoo!s demonstrate is that the u*!icschoo! system accom!ishes that resu!t *ecause #e ha"e *ui!t it that #ay. We cou!d a!so decide

to create a different system, one that educates most (if not a!!) oor minority students to high

!e"e!s of achie"ement. It is not yet entire!y c!ear #hat that system might !ook !ike : it might

inc!ude not on!y FIPP!ike structures and ractices *ut a!so high;ua!ity ear!ychi!dhood

education, as #e!! as incenti"es to *ring the *est teachers to the #orst schoo!s : *ut #hat is

c!ear is that it is #ithin reach.

+!though the fai!ure of %o $hi!d <eft Behind no# seems more !ike!y than not, it is not too !ate

for it to succeed. We kno# no#, in a #ay that #e did not #hen the !a# #as assed, #hat it

#ou!d take to make it #ork. +nd if the !a# does, in the end, fai! : if in 2367 on!y 23 or >3 or

73 ercent of the country-s oor and minority students are roficient, then #e #i!! need to

accet that its fai!ure #as not an accident and #as not ine"ita*!e, *ut #as the outcome #e

chose.

Paul Tough is an editor at the magazine. He is writing a book about the Harlem Children’s

Zone, a community organization.

Guestions4

#. riefl+% e/-lain )hat No hil! Left ehin! is an! )hat its "oals are. See -articularl+Presi!ent ush=s statements as re-orte! on -a"e H2.

&. ;o) !oes the achie,ement "a- *et)een -oor or minorit+ stu!ents an! their *etter2off)hite counter-arts manifest itselfM ;o) !o researchers e/-lain the "a-M

@. riefl+ e/-lain the *ack"roun! an! the -ur-ose of charter schools )ith reference to+our course *ook. omment on the @ common -ractices for charter schools outline! on

--. ##2#&.(. ;o) !oes KIPP tr+ to im-ro,e the school -erformance of !isa!,anta"e! stu!entsM

Dhat !o +ou think a*out this a--roachMH. Dhat challen"es !o charter schools faceM. To)ar!s the en! of the article% the 0uestion of !ifferent states settin" their o)n le,els of

-roficienc+ is taken u-. Since NL is a fe!eral la)% )hat constitutional "roun!s !othe states ha,e for tr+in" to F!ecentrali9e itM Dhat le,els of "o,ernment are -rimaril+res-onsi*le for runnin" schoolsM ?o +ou think this s+stem is "oo!M

#



August 15, 6778

Dangling 'oney, "-ama Pushes Education Shi(t

By SA' D%33"$

;ol!in" out *illions of !ollars as a -otential )in!fall% the 8*ama a!ministration is -ersua!in" state after state to

re)rite e!ucation la)s to o-en the !oor to more charter schools an! e/-an! the use of stu!ent test scores for Bu!"in" teachers.

That a""ressi,e use of economic stimulus mone+ *+ E!ucation Secretar+ Arne ?uncan is -ro,okin" heate!

!e*ates o,er the uses of stan!ar!i9e! testin" an! the -ro-er fe!eral role in e!ucation% issues that flare! fre0uentl+

!urin" Presi!ent Geor"e D. ush=s enforcement of his si"nature e!ucation la)% calle! No hil! Left ehin!.

A recent case is alifornia% )here le"islati,e lea!ers are ,o)in" to !o an+thin" necessar+% inclu!in" re)ritin" a

la) that -rohi*its the use of stu!ent scores in teacher e,aluations% to ensure that the state is eli"i*le for a chunk of

the (.@ *illion the fe!eral E!ucation ?e-artment )ill soon a)ar! to a !o9en or so states. The la) ha! stron"

*ackin" from the state teachers union.

Illinois% In!iana% Louisiana% Tennessee an! se,eral other states ha,e mo,e! to *rin" their la)s or -olicies into line

)ith Presi!ent 8*ama=s school im-ro,ement a"en!a.

The a!ministration=s stance has cau"ht *+ sur-rise e!ucators an! officials )ho ha! ho-e! that 7r. 8*ama=s calls

!urin" the cam-ai"n for an o,erhaul of the No hil! la) )oul! mean a re!uce! fe!eral role an! less reliance on

stan!ar!i9e! testin". The la) re0uires schools to *rin" all stu!ents to -roficienc+ in rea!in" an! math *+ &'#( an!

-enali9es those that !o not meet annual "oals.

The -ro-ose! rules make testin" an e,en more -o)erful factor in schools *+ e/ten!in" the use of scores to teacher

e,aluations. The -ro-ose! rules for the (.@ *illion in "rants% )hich the a!ministration calls the Race to the To-%

re0uire states to sho) the+ are fosterin" inno,ation% im-ro,in" achie,ement% raisin" stan!ar!s% recruitin" effecti,e

teachers% turnin" aroun! faile! schools an! *uil!in" !ata s+stems.

Oust to *e eli"i*le to a--l+% a state must ha,e no F*arriers to linkin" !ata on stu!ent achie,ement or stu!ent "ro)th

to teachers an! -rinci-als for the -ur-ose of teacher an! -rinci-al e,aluation% the rules sa+.

Dhile man+ e!ucators an! a!,ocates su--ort the a!ministration% there has also *een an out-ourin" of com-laints%

inclu!in" in comments on the rules file! )ith the E!ucation ?e-artment. 4The !e-artment )ill issue final rules

after the comment -erio! en!s Au". &.5

FThe -ro-ose! re"ulations are o,erl+ *ur!ensome% Ro*ert P. Grimese+% su-erinten!ent of the 8ran"e ount+

Pu*lic Schools in Vir"inia% sai! in )ritten comments. FThe+ "i,e the im-ression that stimulus fun!s -ro,i!e the

fe!eral "o,ernment )ith un*ri!le! ca-acit+ to im-ose *ureaucratic !eman!s.

7uch of the "rum*lin" is from e!ucators )ho sa+ the+ su--orte! 7r. 8*ama=s can!i!ac+.

#

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FI am a -u*lic school teacher )ho ,ehementl+ )ante! to ,ote for a -resi!ent )ho )oul! sa,e us from No hil!

Left ehin!% ?iane Aoki of Kealakekua% ;a)aii% )rote to the !e-artment. ut linkin" test scores to teacher

e,aluations% 7s. Aoki sai!% means Fthe -otential is there for the test fren9+ to "et )orse than it is un!er No hil!

Left ehin!.

An E!ucation ?e-artment s-okesman% Peter unnin"ham% sai!% FThere=s a health+ !e*ate aroun! this "ran!a--lication% )hich is )hat )e )ere ho-in" for.

FDe=re min!ful of all the criticisms a*out fe!eral o,erreachin"% a*out too much testin"% of all the com-laints a*out

No hil! Left ehin!% 7r. unnin"ham sai!. FThese com-laints come u- all the time in con,ersations a*out all

our -ro"rams% not Bust this one% )ith e!ucation officials across the countr+. The conte/t that No hil! has

"enerate! is the conte/t that )e ha,e to li,e )ith.

The Ne) Teacher ProBect% a non-rofit "rou-% -u*lishe! a re-ort this month han!ica--in" states= chances. $lori!a

an! Louisiana% it sai!% )ere Fhi"hl+ com-etiti,e% Ne) Oerse+ an! others )ere Fcom-etiti,e% an! onnecticut

)as Fsome)hat com-etiti,e. alifornia% Ne) ork an! Disconsin% the re-ort sai!% )ere not eli"i*le *ecause of

state la)s limitin" the use of achie,ement !ata in teacher e,aluation.

La)makers an! officials in alifornia an! Disconsin are !e*atin" )hether to make le"islati,e chan"es.

In Ne) ork% officials are -ushin" *ack a"ainst su""estions that the state is ineli"i*le. 7err+l ;. Tisch% chancellor

of the oar! of Re"ents% sai! $ri!a+ that *ecause the la) *anne! the use of stu!ent !ata in e,aluatin" teachers

onl+ for tenure !ecisions% Ne) ork shoul! *e eli"i*le.

Also% ?r. Tisch sai!% the state la) is sche!ule! to e/-ire in Oune &'#'% an! Fthere is no a--etite to rene) that la).

Not e,er+one is u-set )ith the a!ministration=s tactics.

FDe like the )a+ the a!ministration is usin" Race to the To- to sen! a messa"e a*out its -riorities% sai! Ooe

Dilliams% e/ecuti,e !irector of ?emocrats for E!ucation Reform. FDe like that it=s "otten states to take a close

look at their la)s an! -ractices.

?iane Ra,itch% an e!ucation historian at Ne) ork Uni,ersit+% !isa"ree!. FThe ?e-artment of E!ucation shoul!

res-ect the re0uirements of fe!eralism an! look to states to offer their *est i!eas rather than man!atin" -olicies

that the current a!ministration likes% ?r. Ra,itch sai! in comments file! )ith the !e-artment.

An earl+ si"n that the -romise of e!ucation financin" coul! in!uce state chan"es came after se,eral *lunt

statements *+ 7r. ?uncan this s-rin" that states limitin" the "ro)th of charter schools )oul! ha,e trou*le "ettin"

an a)ar!.

La)makers in Illinois% Louisiana% Tennessee an! se,eral other states res-on!e! *+ liftin" ca-s on the num*ers of

charter schools or *+ e/-an!in" the -ool of stu!ents eli"i*le to atten! them. harter schools are -u*licl+ finance!%

&'

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*ut the+ are mana"e! *+ "rou-s se-arate from school !istricts an! are lar"el+ free from tra!itional school )ork

rules.

In In!iana% la)makers *eat *ack an effort to im-ose a moratorium on ne) charters an!% after 7r. ?uncan )arne!

that states -rohi*itin" the use of test !ata in teacher e,aluations )oul! *e ineli"i*le for a)ar!s% re,oke! such a

-rohi*ition.

Union lo**+in" )as crucial in -assin" such la)s. The t)o national unions ha,e not formall+ commente! on the

-ro-ose! rules. The+ ha,e o--ose! usin" test scores in e,aluations% sa+in" misuse of am*i"uous !ata coul! lea! to

unfair !ismissals.

alifornia "ot attention in Oune )hen 7r. ?uncan note! in a s-eech that it )as amon" states that ha! create! Fa

fire)all *et)een stu!ents an! teacher !ata.

FIn alifornia% the+ ha,e @''%''' teachers% he sai!. The to- #' -ercent are the F*est in the )orl!% he sai!% the *ottom #' -ercent% Fshoul! -ro*a*l+ fin! another -rofession% +et no one in alifornia can tell +ou )hich teacher is

in )hich cate"or+.

FSomethin" is )ron" )ith that -icture% he sai!.

In res-onse% the state=s su-erinten!ent of -u*lic instruction% *oar! of e!ucation -resi!ent an! e!ucation secretar+

Bointl+ )rote to 7r. ?uncan sa+in" his concerns )ere F*ase! on a misun!erstan!in".

alifornia=s la)% the+ ar"ue!% *ars state officials from usin" test results to e,aluate teachers *ut !oes not *locklocal !istricts from !oin" so. 8nl+ a fe) !o.

State Senator Gloria Romero% a ?emocrat an! chair)oman of the Senate E!ucation ommittee% sai! in an

inter,ie) that *ecause F!isa"reement continues *et)een the state an! 8*ama officials% she )as !raftin"

le"islation to clarif+ the la). 7s. Romero has sche!ule! a hearin" on the issue for Au". &.

FDe=ll !o e,er+thin" in our -o)er% she sai!% Fto make sure that alifornia is in com-liance )ith the e/-ectations

of the 8*ama a!ministration.

Jennifer Medina contributed reporting.

Questions:

9"-ama Pushes Education shi(t

#. Dho is the ne) Secretar+ of E!ucation an! )hat is his *ack"roun!M

&. Dhat is 8*ama<s an! the ne) secretar+<s criticism of NLM

@. Dhat !o +ou think the ne) secretar+ means )hen he sa+s Qe!ucation is the ci,il ri"hts issue of our"enerationM

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(. ;o) )ill NL *e reforme! accor!in" to -re!ictions in the articleM Dhat )ill the ne) a!ministration focus on)hen it comes to e!ucation issuesM

H. Dhat is the Race to the To- -ro"ramM

. Dhat are the criticisms of this -ro"ramM

Au"ust % &''% The New York Times

;here the !ace $ow Begins at Kindergarten

+ DINNIE ;U

Parents )ho sent their to!!lers to the )ell2re"ar!e! 7an!ell -reschool on the U--er Dest Si!e use! to count on"ettin" into the -ri,ate school of their choice.

ut )ith the recent *oom in the cit+=s un!er2H set% the com-etition for kin!er"arten -laces can ri,al that of I,+Lea"ue a!mission. This s-rin"% for the first time% se,eral of the (@ 7an!ell -reschool "ra!uates foun! themsel,es

)ithout an+)here to "o. So 7an!ell% )hich has *een aroun! for "enerations% !eci!e! to !o its -art to ease thekin!er"arten crunch *+ o-enin" its o)n & million elementar+ school% in a #J%'''2s0uare2foot storefront onolum*us A,enue at th Street.

FI think )e=,e reache! a crisis le,el in terms of ca-acit+% sai! Ga*riella Ro)e% 7an!ell=s hea! of school.FAlthou"h the maBorit+ of our families are still "oin" to *e a*le to sen! their chil!ren to their first2choice school%it=s clear that it=s "oin" to *ecome more !ifficult e,er+ +ear if these num*ers continue to increase.

The ne) school% finance! throu"h *ank loans% )ill start )ith H' kin!er"arten stu!ents in t)o classes. 7s. Ro)e -lans to e/-an! to (H' stu!ents throu"h th "ra!e *+ &'#J. Tuition is &%''' for the &''2 school +ear% risin" to@'%''' the ne/t +ear.

?es-ite mountin" la+offs on Dall Street an! the *roa!er economic !o)nturn% -ri,ate schools in Ne) ork it+continue to thri,e% )ith a!ministrators an! consultants sa+in" this +ear has *een the most com-etiti,e +et fora!mission to kin!er"arten. Some estimate that se,eral hun!re! chil!ren )ere reBecte! from e,er+ -lace the+a--lie!.

A*out #H'%''' stu!ents are enrolle! in -ri,ate an! -arochial schools in Ne) ork it+6 a*out #.# million atten!the cit+=s -u*lic schools.

Emil+ Glickman% a -ri,ate school consultant for A*acus Gui!e E!ucational onsultin"% )hich hel-s -arents "aina!mission to -ri,ate schools% sai! com-etition ha! intensifie! not onl+ for *ran!2name schools like ?alton%olle"iate an! Trinit+ *ut also for lesser2kno)n an! ne)er schools% as more cou-les o-t to ha,e t)o or morechil!ren6 more families remain in the cit+ rather than mo,in" to the su*ur*s6 an! the )ealth+ in Ne) ork "et)ealthier.

The laremont Pre-arator+ School% )hich starte! in Lo)er 7anhattan in &''H% is e/-an!in" to se,en kin!er"artenclasses from three after recei,in" more than #%#'' a--lications this +ear% u- from J'' the +ear *efore. laremont%)hich has nearl+ H'' stu!ents in kin!er"arten throu"h ei"hth "ra!e% also -lans to o-en a hi"h school in Se-tem*er&''.

In rookl+n% a "rou- of -arents an! e!ucators in $ort Greene an! linton ;ill are also o-enin" a ne) -ri,ateelementar+ school% the Greene ;ill School% )hich )ill em-hasi9e han!s2on learnin" in art% music% an! -h+sicale!ucation an! cost #@%H'' a +ear% accor!in" to ?iana Schlesin"er% the school=s co2!irector an! a former !irectorof the e!ucation -ro"ram at the American $olk Art 7useum.

8n the U--er Dest Si!e% the 7an!ell School )as starte! in a *ro)nstone on (th Street in #@ *+ 7s. Ro)e=s

"ran!father% 7a/ 7an!ell% )ho ha! )orke! )ith runa)a+ *o+s at elle,ue ;os-ital enter. E,er+ mornin"% hestoo! outsi!e in a suit an! tie to "reet his stu!ents.

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7s. Ro)e% (&% a -etite )oman )ith re! hair% "re) u- a*o,e the -reschool an! use! to hel- em-t+ the trash an! -aint the classroom )alls. She atten!e! the Ni"htin"ale2amfor! School on scholarshi-% then maBore! in $renchan! Euro-ean histor+ at r+n 7a)r olle"e. She )orke! as an in,estment *anker at 7errill L+nch an! as amana"ement consultant *efore Boinin" the famil+ *usiness in #.

7s. Ro)e sai! she *e"an -lannin" an elementar+ school fi,e +ears a"o to allo) families to continue theire!ucation at 7an!ell% )hich em-hasi9es a -ro"ressi,e curriculum of aca!emics% citi9enshi- an! communit+in,ol,ement. She -ushe! u- the timeta*le in ?ecem*er )hen she sa) the increase! !eman! for -ri,ate school

slots. + $e*ruar+% she ha! recei,e! H' a--lications for the first kin!er"arten class of &H% inclu!in" t)o fromchil!ren in 7an!ell=s -reschool. In 7arch% she o-ene! u- a secon! &H2stu!ent kin!er"arten class% an! recei,e!#'' more a--lications )ithin ( hours.

olette Al!erson% )hose H2+ear2ol! son )as in -reschool at 7an!ell% sai! that she an! her hus*an!% Scott% the -resi!ent of a soft)are com-an+% looke! at other schools *ut !eci!e! not to a--l+. FI kne) the fit )as ri"ht% so I!i!n=t see a reason to chan"e schools% sai! 7s. Al!erson% ('. FI !i!n=t reall+ ,ie) it as a ne) school% *ut as ane/tension of a ,er+ esta*lishe!% )ell2kno)n -reschool.

Another -arent% her+l Dischho,er% chose 7an!ell=s elementar+ school for her H2+ear2ol! son o,er a -u*lic2school "ifte! -ro"ram% sa+in" she like! the focus on teachin" to each stu!ent=s stren"ths an! )eaknesses% the )ell2

-lanne! curriculum an! the school=s close relationshi- )ith families. 7s. Dischho,er% @J% a -e!iatric nurse -ractitioner% sai! she a--lie! to fi,e other -ri,ate schools for her son% *ut )as reBecte! *+ one school an! )ait2

liste! *+ the other four.

F7an+ -eo-le I kno) "ot into at least one school% *ut I !efinitel+ kno) -eo-le )ho !i!n=t% she sai!. FIt )as areall+ tou"h -rocess.

7s. Ro)e has hire! &' ne) teachers% inclu!in" s-ecialists in fine arts% music% !rama an! -h+sical e!ucation% an! a -s+cholo"ist% an! -romises a fi,e to one stu!ent2teacher ratio for the elementar+ "ra!es. She is also ne"otiatin" for an a!!itional (J%'''2s0uare2foot s-ace near*+ for the u--er "ra!es.

She sai! she ha! *een fiel!in" calls all summer a*out kin!er"arten in the fall of &''% thou"h a--lications )ill not *e officiall+ a,aila*le until Au". #. FI e/-ect the real chaos )ill come in Se-tem*er% she sai!.

7an!ell=s -reschool stu!ents are "uarantee! a -lace in the elementar+ school% an! se,en families ha,e alrea!+ sai!the+ -lan to atten! in &''2#'% 7s. Ro)e sai!. She a!!e! that she )oul! continue to hel- -reschool stu!ents "etinto other -ri,ate schools if the+ -refer. This s-rin"% fi,e stu!ents )ere a!mitte! to ?alton% four to rearle+% an!three each to ha-in% olle"iate% Trinit+% S-ence an! Ni"htin"ale2amfor!% some of the most com-etiti,e -ri,ateschools in the cit+% she sai!.

Dith the first !a+ of school loomin"% 7s. Ro)e checke! on the construction last )eek at t)o lo)er floors of there!2*rick hi"h2rise that )ill house the elementar+ school. She race! from one en! to the other% -ointin" to em-t+s-aces that )oul! soon hol! a first2"ra!e classroom% an art stu!io% a music room% a nurse=s office% a teachers=loun"e an! a school -s+cholo"ist=s office. FI kno) the floor -lan in m+ slee-% 7s. Ro)e sai!% ste--in" nim*l+o,er construction materials -ile! on the concrete floor.

<uestions

#. Dhat is the attraction for -arents to select the 7an!ell schools for their chil!renM

&. In "eneral% )hat are the a!,anta"es an! !isa!,anta"es of -ri,ate schoolin"M

@. Fom-etition for kin!er"arten -laces can ri,al that of I,+ Lea"ue a!mission. Dhat !o +ouun!erstan! *+ the term I,+ Lea"ueM

(. 8nce a"ain the S)e!ish "o,ernment is consi!erin" )hether or not to man!ate stu!ents startschool a +ear earlier than the+ are re0uire! at the moment. Ar"ue for or a"ainst this motion.4?iscussion 0uestion onl+ not notes necessar+5

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Task

!esearch one %vy 3eague school and discuss with your grou) what you have learned

a-out it* ;rite at least 1 )aragra)h a-out the school regarding its (ocus, re=uirements to

get in and tuition etc* ;hy did you choose to research this school>

=ream %ot =enied. Hust a %orma! /ir!-

5% Gu!"her or The New )or* Times

C!EAT%0E E?P!ESS%"$ Katie A-ostoli!es !iscusses her art)ork )ith Prof. Oohn 7ur-he+ at ecker olle"ein 7assachusetts. She takes re"ular courses *ut )ill -ro*a*l+ not "et a !e"ree. By L.L+ &AU47ANPublished: November 3, 2006

AT 1@' a.m. Katie A-ostoli!es rises% sho)ers an! -ulls an! tu"s at her lon" *ro)n hair un!er the !r+er until it is a

shin+% lu/uriant mane. She a--lies a little e+e makeu- an! arri,es on the ecker olle"e cam-us for her course on

-rinci-les of teachin" at 1&' a.m. She is more than an hour earl+.

She calls F;ello an! F;o) are +ouM to all the stu!ents she -asses : )hether or not she kno)s them : an! then

"ets a lar"e Green 7ountain coffee an! listens to Latin ra- on her iPo!.

$ort+2fi,e minutes *efore class *e"ins% she is in Nina 7a9loff=s office to -e--er her )ith 0uestions. She )ants to

kno) )hat the+ )ill co,er for the !a+% )hether she )ill ha,e to take notes an! if there )ill *e an+ home)ork.

Professor 7a9loff is -atient *ut "entl+ encoura"es her stu!ent not to s-en! the )hole time )aitin" )ith her. FKatie

reall+ is a !e,ote! stu!ent% she e/-lains kin!l+.

7s. A-ostoli!es% &@% likes to sa+ of herself% FI am Bust a normal "irl )ith a lifelon" stor+. ut that is reall+ Bust

another )a+ of e/-lainin" that she has ?o)n s+n!rome% a "enetic a*normalit+ that has man+ si!e effects%

inclu!in" mental retar!ation that can ran"e from se,ere to mil!.

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In her !etermine! 0uest to ha,e a normal colle"e e/-erience% she is at the forefront of a )a,e of co"niti,el+

challen"e! stu!ents )ho are !eman!in"% an! "ainin"% a -lace on cam-uses nation)i!e. 7s. A-ostoli!es )as

acce-te! at ecker% a small li*eral arts school )ith cam-uses in Leicester an! Dorcester% 7ass.% three +ears a"o

throu"h re"ular a!missions.

8f course% re"ular a!missions at ecker is fairl+ "entle : almost J -ercent of a--licants are acce-te!% an! thea,era"e SAT score is '% com*ine! math an! rea!in". Still% 7s. A-ostoli!es ha! to -ro!uce a hi"h school

transcri-t an! take the SAT 4she !oesn=t remem*er her score5.

She atten!s re"ular classes an! li,es in a coe! !orm. She has her o)n room *ut shares common s-aces )ith a

!i,erse re-resentation of the stu!ent *o!+% inclu!in" man+ mem*ers of the foot*all team.

Dhile she is amon" a small num*er of stu!ents )ith ?o)n s+n!rome to ha,e such a com-letel+ inte"rate!

e!ucation% there are !o9ens of others in -ro"rams that -lace co"niti,el+ !isa*le! stu!ents in re"ular classrooms

an! sometimes in !ormitories. The De* site Thinkolle"e.net% a !ata*ase on -ostsecon!ar+ schoolin" finance! *+

the Unite! States ?e-artment of E!ucation% has information on #' -ro"rams. FAn! the num*er is "ro)in" fast%

sa+s Nanc+ ;urle+% an e!ucation s-ecialist at the Institute for ommunit+ Inclusion% )hich collects information

for the !ata*ase.

The o-enin" of colle"e cam-uses comes as an out"ro)th of the In!i,i!uals Dith ?isa*ilities E!ucation Act of

#JH. That la) man!ate! that -u*lic schools e!ucate chil!ren of all intellectual a*ilities an!% )hene,er -ossi*le%

in re"ular classrooms )ith same2a"e -eers.

No)% comin" of a"e e/-ectin" full inclusion from kin!er"arten throu"h #&th "ra!e% stu!ents an! their -arents are

askin" to "ra!uate to similar o--ortunities. + la)% chil!ren )ith !isa*ilities are entitle! to a free -u*lic e!ucation

until a"e &#. Until recentl+% that mostl+ meant an e/ten!e! sta+ in s-ecial2e!ucation classrooms at a -u*lic hi"h

school% *ut recent clarifications of the la) ha,e allo)e! states to use mone+ earmarke! for lo)er e!ucation for

a--ro-riate -ostsecon!ar+ -ro"rams instea!.

+ no)% colle"es ha,e ha! e/-erience accommo!atin" stu!ents )ith learnin" !isa*ilities like !+sle/ia an!

attention !eficit !isor!er. ut teachin" stu!ents )ith co"niti,e !ela+s or mental retar!ation is the ne/t frontier.

These ne) stu!ents are far more challen"in"1 colle"es must stru""le not Bust )ith ho) stu!ents learn *ut )ith thelimits on )hat the+ can a*sor*.

FThe stu!ents ha,e intellectual !isa*ilities% *ut their chronolo"ical a"e "oes alon" normall+% an! the+ )ant the

same kin! of social e/-eriences% sa+s Lin!a ;ickson% )ho coor!inates -ro"rams on mental retar!ation an!

autism at Teachers olle"e at olum*ia. FThe challen"e is to fin! a"e a--ro-riate e/-eriences so that the+ are not

totall+ hel! *ack *+ their chil!ish intellectual limitations.

Parents an! e!ucators -ressin" for inclusion sa+ the+ are committe! out of -ractical concerns as )ell. Peo-le )ith

co"niti,e !isa*ilities ha,e a*+smal rates of -artici-ation in the )ork-lace% an! )hen the+ !o "et Bo*s% the+ ten! to

hol! entr+2le,el -ositions% like fast2foo! clerk an! custo!ial ai!e. ut stu!ies commissione! *+ the National ?o)n

S+n!rome Societ+ ha,e sho)n that the 0ualit+ an! 0uantit+ of Bo*s increase )ith -ostsecon!ar+ e!ucation.

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http://thinkcollege.net/





As -arents an! a!,ocates intensif+ efforts to "et more access to mainstream colle"es an! to fe!eral financin" for

these en!ea,ors% the 0uestions take on ne) -u*lic rele,ance1 Bust )hat are ?o)n s+n!rome chil!ren ca-a*le of

learnin"M )hat !oes their -resence su""est a*out the role of hi"her e!ucationM is the colle"e e/-erience reall+ the

*est )a+ to enhance their li,es : es-eciall+ )hen their e!ucation can cost #'%''' a semesterM

Postsecon!ar+ -ro"rams for the co"niti,el+ !isa*le! ,ar+ su*stantiall+6 some are more inclusi,e than others% somelea! to a certificate or associate=s !e"ree% others !on=t. ommunit+ colle"es offer ,ocational trainin" in fiel!s as

!i,erse as chil! care% -h+sical thera-+% funeral ser,ices an! hos-italit+ ser,ices.

FE,en thou"h there are more than #'' -ro"rams% all of them !e,elo-e! se-aratel+% sa+s 7a!eleine Dill% ,ice

-resi!ent for -u*lic -olic+ for the National ?o)n S+n!rome Societ+. FThere has not *een an+ o,erall coherent

-lan or nature to the -ro"rams. 7an+ of them are lackin" )hat )e consi!er to *e ,ital -ieces. An a)ful lot of

them% for e/am-le% !o not ha,e a resi!ential com-onent.

7s. Dill ho-es that )ill soon chan"e. Last +ear Laura Ri""io an! her hus*an!% Ste,e% chief e/ecuti,e of arnes

No*le% "a,e a "rant of @''%''' throu"h the ?o)n s+n!rome societ+ to ena*le t)o -u*lic colle"es in Ne) Oerse+

to !e,elo- mo!els for co"niti,el+ !isa*le! stu!ents on cam-us. The Ri""ios ha,e a colle"e2a"e chil! )ith ?o)n

s+n!rome.

The -ro"rams )ere !esi"ne! to a!!ress four *asic nee!s1 em-lo+ment trainin"% sociali9ation% in!e-en!ent2li,in"

skills an! aca!emic "ro)th : throu"h a mi/ of reme!ial rea!in" an! )ritin" courses% e/-osure to creati,e

e/-eriences like !ra)in" an! actin" an!% e,entuall+% more challen"in" course)ork.

FDe are tr+in" to assess )hat )orks an! )hat !oesn=t% 7s. Dill sa+s. FUltimatel+% it )ill *e a mo!el that )e can

!escri*e in more !efiniti,e )a+s an! seek to re-licate. I!eall+% )e )oul! like a state)i!e s+stem of -ro"rams like

this.

The "rant )as s-lit *+ the olle"e of Ne) Oerse+% a four2+ear institution% an! 7ercer ount+ ommunit+ olle"e%

*oth in the Trenton area. $or this first +ear% the olle"e of Ne) Oerse+ acce-te! si/ a--licants% )ho are learnin"

colle"e stu!+ ha*its an! focusin" on career o-tions. The+ are also enrolle! in a seminar calle! FA*ilities

Un-lu""e! )ith #H tra!itional freshmen. $or this class% the+ are e/-ecte! to rea! a *ook% -artici-ate in an online

!iscussion *oar!% -ro!uce an oral histor+ an! )atch films an! )rite criti0ues. Re*ecca ?ale+% the -ro"ram=sa!ministrator% sa+s that )ith time the stu!ents are e/-ecte! to *e inclu!e! in more an! more classes )ith the rest

of the stu!ent *o!+.

At 7ercer% -artici-ants in )hat it calls the ?ream -ro"ram are assi"ne! stu!ent mentors. The+ take most of their

classes )ith the "eneral stu!ent *o!+ an! can )ork to)ar! an associate !e"ree or certificate in an+ of the colle"e=s

fiel!s.

$irst% ho)e,er% the+ must -ass so2calle! foun!ation courses in math% rea!in" an! )ritin".

Althou"h 7ercer has o-en a!missions for the "eneral -o-ulation% it re0uires a--lications for ?ream so -otential

stu!ents can *e screene! for Fa*ilit+ to *enefit an! commitment% sa+s Susan 8naitis% )ho a!ministers the

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-ro"ram an! teaches the life an! colle"e skills class. $or the first semester% this fall% ?ream acce-te! nine stu!ents%

one of them% Oohn 7cormack% )ith ?o)n s+n!rome.

At stu!ent orientation in Au"ust% 7r. 7cormack% a "re"arious &(2+ear2ol!% "ot a hint of the stru""le ahea!. E,en

amon" his co"niti,el+ !isa*le! -eers% he )as the last to finish a sca,en"er hunt meant to familiari9e the stu!ents

)ith the cam-us. At the colle"e art "aller+% )here he )as su--ose! to !escri*e a -aintin"% he nee!e! hel- s-ellin"Foran"e on the form he )as fillin" out. At the li*rar+% )here he )as !isco,erin" ho) to make a -hotoco-+% he

*ecame confuse! *+ a si"n on the chan"e machine an! thou"ht it cost # instea! of #' cents. At the cafeteria% he

)as su!!enl+ sh+ )aitin" in line to or!er a cheese*ur"er an! aske! for hel-. FI am afrai! the+ )on=t un!erstan!

me% he e/-laine!.

A "et2to2kno)2+ou session )ith Bust the ?ream "rou- )ent much *etter. ;e hu""e! a "irl he kne) from hi"h

school an! -artici-ate! )ell in a "ame in )hich he )as aske! to !escri*e )hat he ha! learne! a*out the likes an!

!islikes of his mentor. In !iscussions *et)een e/ercises% he tol! the other stu!ents a*out a ,acation in ;a)aii% an!

)hen one +oun" man ,olunteere! that he ha! recentl+ *roken u- )ith his "irlfrien! *ecause she )asn=t Ftreatin"

him ri"ht% 7r. 7cormack )as the first to offer s+m-ath+. Fou can !o *etter% man% he sai! )ith a kno)in" -at

on the *ack.

Aske! )h+ he is atten!in" colle"e% 7r. 7c2 ormack sa+s it is *ecause his sister F)ent there. ;e ho-es to "et a

"oo! Bo* )hen he "ets out. ;is am*ition is to *e a sin"er.

F;e al)a+s )ante! to "o to colle"e% an! this ne) -ro"ram )as the -erfect o--ortunit+ to "et the su--ort he

nee!e!% sa+s his mother% Susan 7cormack. She !oesn=t think her "oals for his e!ucation are unachie,a*le. F7+

ho-e is that he )ill "et a little out of an e!ucation an! make some contacts% she sa+s% Fma+*e "et a Bo*% make

frien!s an! ha,e ne) e/-eriences.

Since 7r. 7cormack is not tr+in" to earn a !e"ree% he is not eli"i*le for tuition assistance. The olle"e of Ne)

Oerse+ char"es #'%''' -er term% *ut 7ercer -artici-ants -a+ the same as other communit+ colle"e stu!ents1

se,eral thousan! !ollars a +ear. F;e mi"ht not "et the full ,alue that a normal chil! )oul!% *ut he still !eser,es the

o--ortunit+ to "et as much as he can an! learn as much as he can% 7rs. 7cormack sa+s. FIt is somethin" )e are

)illin" to !o to hel- him to "et to his -otential.

lasses ha,e *een tou"h% she ackno)le!"es. There is a lot of rea!in" to *e !one. So far he has *een assi"ne! a

short stor+ *+ Lan"ston ;u"hes% FThank ou 7=am% an! FThe Stolen Part+% *+ the Ar"entine )riter Liliana

;eker. 7r. 7cormack !oes not rea! the material himself. ;is mother rea!s to him an! asks him 0uestions. FIt is

ama9in" ho) much he is a*le to "i,e *ack% she sa+s% F*ut he )oul! ne,er *e a*le to rea! it on his o)n.

?r. Dilliam ohen% !irector of the ?o)n S+n!rome enter of Destern Penns+l,ania at hil!ren=s ;os-ital of

Pitts*ur"h% sa+s that in "eneral% -eo-le )ith ?o)n s+n!rome e/hi*it I..=s of (' to J'% )ith *elo) J' consi!ere!

mentall+ retar!e!. Scores on I.. tests correlate )ith an in!i,i!ual=s a*ilit+ to !o a*stract reasonin" an! a*sor*

com-licate! information% tasks usuall+ associate! )ith colle"e.

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FThe *in! that )e are in is that )e )ant to su--ort families= ho-efulness a*out )hat their chil!ren )ant to

achie,e% he sa+s. Fut at the same time )e are a)are that there are likel+ to *e limits.

?r. ohen cites research sho)in" that chil!ren )ith I..=s of ' to J' can rea! at fourth2"ra!e le,el% sometimes

hi"her6 those )ith I..=s *elo) that can rea! at first2"ra!e le,el. 7ath le,els ten! to *e lo)er than rea!in"% an!

)ritin" correlates )ith rea!in" *ut is also affecte! *+ fine motor skills. ?urin" earl+ chil!hoo!% emotional an!social !e,elo-ment la"s as )ell% *ut ?o)n s+n!rome chil!ren e,entuall+ !e,elo- stron" social skills an! are

-erce-ti,e a*out their relations )ith others.

IN man+ )a+s% Katie A-ostoli!es is not Bust a -ioneer *ut also an a,atar of all the -otential an! limits of stu!ents

)ith ?o)n s+n!rome. $or starters% she )as "i,en e/traor!inar+ -re-aration for e!ucational success *+ -articularl+

!ri,en -arents.

;er mother% Paulette% )as rea!in" *ooks on ho) to raise a "ifte! chil! )hile -re"nant. Katie=s !isa*ilit+ came as

shock. Paulette A-ostoli!es )as in her &'=s% an! there )as no histor+ of ?o)n s+n!rome in the famil+.

ut she !eci!e! 0uickl+ that she )oul! not acce-t the limits of co"niti,e !e,elo-ment that !octors )ere -re-arin"

her for. She starte! her !au"hter on a ri"orous course of thera-+ at the a"e of three )eeks% after consultin" one of

the countr+=s foremost e/-erts in ?o)n s+n!rome% Sie"frie! 7. Pueschel. She cut *ack her )ork as a marketin"

consultant. T)o sons )ithout ?o)n s+n!rome% no) # an! % follo)e!. Still% she !e,ote! much of her time to

mana"in" her !au"hter=s e!ucation an! thera-+. FI Bust !i!n=t ha,e frien!s% she e/-lains.

Katie ha! lan"ua"e thera-+ from the time she coul! make soun!s until she )as # an! has *een in inclusion

classes since kin!er"arten. ;er mother sa+s her I.. is on the hi"h si!e for a ?o)n s+n!rome chil!.

FI *roke all the rules on ho) to raise the s-ecial chil!% Paulette A-ostoli!es sa+s. FDe e/ecute! thera-+ "oals

e,er+ minute of the !a+. Dhen she )as in the *athtu*% I )oul! rea! her The Dall Street Oournal. I coul!n=t let her

Bust sit there. There )as ne,er a moment she )asn=t stimulate!.

In man+ )a+s% Katie A-ostoli!es=s achie,ements are ama9in". She trie! out for an! ma!e the hi"h school

cheerlea!in" s0ua!. Last semester at ecker she recei,e! t)o =s an! an A )ithout si"nificant accommo!ation

from the colle"e. She recei,es lar"e t+-e s+lla*uses% a note2taker for each class an! e/tra time for e/ams% *ut she

must still master the same material as her classmates. 7a!eleine Entel% the a!ministrator of ecker=s enters for

Aca!emic Success% sa+s% FThis )as no "i,ea)a+. Katie )orke! reall+ har!.

Perha-s more astonishin"% in classrooms 7s. A-ostoli!es *arel+ stan!s out. In a recent e,enin" class on effecti,e

communications% she sits in the front ro) )ith a note2taker. ?urin" the three2hour class she !oes not -artici-ate%

*ut she no!s ,i"orousl+ )hen the instructor !iscusses ho) to a,oi! *ias in *usiness communication an! starts

talkin" a*out the !isa*le!.

After)ar!% 7s. A-ostoli!es e/-lains that she !oes not like to ask a 0uestion in class unless she has -re-are! ahea!or kno)s the su*Bect )ell : for e/am-le% ho) a -erson )ith a !isa*ilit+ mi"ht like to *e a!!resse!. ut the ne/t

!a+% in Professor 7a9loff=s class% she is ,er+ ,er*al. The stu!ents sit in "rou-s of four. 7s. A-ostoli!es is ne/t to a

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!orm2mate she !escri*es as a *reak2!ancer an! frien!% )ho )his-ers to her occasionall+ !urin" the class. $or an

e/ercise in recallin" their most ,i,i! memories of chil!hoo! teachers% 7s. A-ostoli!es has as man+ contri*utions

as an+one.

et for all her accom-lishments% her aca!emic e/-erience is limite!. ;er classes are intro!uctor+% e,en in her thir!

+ear. There is no Shakes-eare an! no -hiloso-h+ an! nothin" that in,ol,es math% )hich 7s. A-ostoli!es has -articular !ifficult+ com-rehen!in". She s-en!s hours each )eek )ith a -ri,ate tutor stru""lin" to un!erstan!

material that other stu!ents mi"ht fin! rote. The lack of a!,ance! )ork means that% e,en thou"h she has @ cre!its

at ecker% she )ill ne,er "ra!uate.

She has ha! to retreat from her ori"inal am*ition% *ein" a -h+sical thera-ist% *ecause she coul! not memori9e

me!ical terms.

7s. A-ostoli!es !escri*es )hat she is learnin" in her FPrinci-les of E!ucation class1 FIt has "i,en me insi"ht on

o*ser,in" chil!ren an! on ho) )e !o assessments of chil!ren. Dhen +ou are o*ser,in" +ou are interactin"% *ut

+ou are *asicall+ recor!in" stuff in a note*ook. It is a reall+ neat )a+ to un!erstan! chil!ren. Dhen aske! to

!escri*e her *est learnin" e/-erience at colle"e% she cites a com-uter class. FI learne! ho) to use 7icrosoft Dor!%

Po)erPoint an! the Internet. I "ot all A=s.

An! for all her effer,escence% it is routine social interaction that most frustrates an! confuses. Dith an

un!erstan!in" that has clearl+ *een informe! *+ numerous talks )ith her mother% she sa+s she sometimes Fcan

han" on too much an! too 0uickl+. ;er ten!enc+ to misBu!"e a situation is all too e,i!ent. Tra,elin" *+ cam-us

shuttle *us% 7s. A-ostoli!es makes all the stu!ents "ettin" off "i,e her a hi"h fi,e. The+ !o it% *ut o*,iousl+

)ithout relish. She !oesn=t sense that she ma+ ha,e im-ose!.

8ne counselor% )ho aske! not to *e name! *ecause the comments mi"ht *e -ercei,e! as insensiti,e% has a tra"ic

,ie) of 7s. A-ostoli!es=s time at ecker. FKatie thinks she has a million frien!s% *ut she is "oin" to lea,e here

an! not one stu!ent is "oin" to sta+ in touch% she sa+s. FI can=t hel- thinkin" if she )as )ith other ?o)n

s+n!rome chil!ren% it )oul! *e *etter.

Paulette A-ostoli!es calls that i!ea : that someone )ith ?o)n s+n!rome cannot ha,e true frien!s amon" the

non!isa*le! : a -reBu!ice that )ill *e o,ercome in time. Dhen her !au"hter is home% she sa+s% her cell-honerin"s fre0uentl+ : frien!s )antin" to sta+ in touch.

Ken ameron % !ean of stu!ents at ecker% has *een hel-in" 7s. A-ostoli!es na,i"ate the social *+)a+s. FSome

of the social *oun!aries Bust aren=t there for her% he sa+s. Fut she has im-ro,e! tremen!ousl+ since she=s *een

here. She is a)are of not -ushin" too har! to *e someone=s frien! or not. ?urin" her first +ear I=! see her e,er+

!a+% an! she=! sa+% This is ha--enin" an! this is ha--enin".= No) she is much more in!e-en!ent. The staff hears

from her a lot less. ou can sense that she has mature!.

In 7r. ameron=s estimation% that is one of the main -ur-oses of a colle"e e!ucation an+)a+.

Leslie Kaufman is a Metro reporter for The Times covering social services

&



#. Dhat are the entrance re0uirements for eckerM Use the course )e* -a"es to fin! out ho) the+ com-are

)ith an I,+ Lea"ue colle"e like Princeton in the US. ;o) !o the+ com-are )ith uni,ersities in S)e!enM

Dhich s+stem !o +ou *elie,e to *e fairerM

&. The ,er+ en! of the article sa+s that one of the main -ur-oses of a colle"e 4uni,ersit+2le,el this means in

America5 e!ucation is to learn to *ecome in!e-en!ent an! mature. ;o) !o +ou think this com-ares to a

S)e!ish ,ie) of uni,ersit+ e!ucationM

@. Katie A-ostoli!es=s mother -ushe! her !au"hter to e/cel from a ,er+ earl+ a"e% an! it seems to ha,e

*enefite! her !au"hter. Accor!in" to American i!eals% har! )ork an! sacrifice are the )a+ to achie,e

thin"s. ;o)e,er% some -eo-le think that -eo-le like Katie=s -arents -ush their chil!ren too har!. Dhen

!oes -ushin" *ecome too muchM

Kitchen-classroom conservatives

Section: United States The growth of homeschooling

Barack Obama could hasten the spread of educating children at homeDateline: ALBANY, GEORGIA

T;E first thin" +ou notice a*out Karen Allen<s house is that it is s-otless. E,en in her teena"e *o+s< *e!rooms% nota thin" is out of -lace. An! her *o+s% Thomas an! Ta+lor% are -olite an! en"a"in". our corres-on!ent foun!himself *ein" "rille! a*out his tra,els *+ a *o+ )ho ha! clearl+ Goo"le! him. In this househol!% e,er+ chance tolearn somethin" ne) is ea"erl+ sei9e!% e/-lains 7rs Allen.

The Allens are home2schoolers. Instea! of sen!in" their chil!ren to a -u*lic 4non2fee2-a+in"5 or -ri,ate school%the+ teach them at home. The+ are far from alone. A "eneration a"o% home2schoolin" )as rare an!% in man+ states%ille"al. No)% accor!in" to the ?e-artment of E!ucation% there are rou"hl+ #.Hm home2schoole! stu!ents inAmerica% a num*er that has !ou*le! in a !eca!e. That is a*out @> of the school2a"e -o-ulation. The National;ome E!ucation Research Institute -uts the num*er e,en hi"her% at *et)een #.m an! &.Hm.

Dh+ !o -eo-le teach their chil!ren at homeM 7an+ of the earliest )ere hi--ies )ho thou"ht -u*lic schoolsre-ressi,e an! un"roo,+. No) the+ are far more likel+ to *e reli"ious conser,ati,es. At a -u*lic school% sa+s 7rsAllen% her *o+s )oul! "et neither much in!i,i!ual attention nor an+ hristian instruction. At home the+ "et -lent+of *oth.

In a &''J sur,e+ *+ the ?e-artment of E!ucation% > of home2schoolin" -arents sai! that their local -u*licschools )ere unsafe% !ru"2ri!!en or un)holesome in some )a+. Some J@> com-laine! of sho!!+ aca!emicstan!ar!s. An! @> sai! the+ )ante! to instil reli"ious or moral ,alues in their chil!ren22a num*er that has risenfrom J&> in &''@.

Those )ho teach at home are -assionate a*out it. The+ ha,e to *e1 it is a hu"e un!ertakin". 8ne -arent% usuall+ themother% !ro-s out of the )orkforce an! !e,otes her life to teachin". The famil+ must su*sist on a sin"le income

)hile still -a+in" the ta/es that finance -u*lic schools. ;ome2schoolin" is not for the faint2hearte!.

It *ecomes a lifest+le% sa+s 7rs Allen. She teaches her *o+s En"lish% histor+ an! i*le stu!ies. 7aths comes ona ?V?. Dhen the+ "o sho--in"% she teaches them economics. 8n holi!a+ in Alaska% the+ ma!e moul!s of a )olf<s

-a)-rint% a science a!,enture. et the Allens< science curriculum is one that no -u*lic school )oul! allo). Deteach *iolo"+ from a creationist -ers-ecti,e% she sa+s.

Not all home2schoolers shun the -u*lic schools for reli"ious reasons. Anne 7itchell% for e/am-le% -ulle! her sonGor!on out *ecause she !i! not like the )a+ his school !ealt )ith his cere*ral -als+. Rather than hel-in" him to !othin"s himself% it assi"ne! a hel-er to follo) him aroun! an! !o e,er+thin" for him. A tenth of home2schoolin"

-arents sa+ that one of their chil!ren has a -h+sical or mental -ro*lem that the local school cannot or )ill notaccommo!ate. An! some -arents teach at home *ecause their chil!ren are *rilliant an! -u*lic school fails tostretch them.

ut there is no !ou*t that reli"ion is the main force. American -u*lic schools are ri"i!l+ secular. Pri,ate schoolsare e/-ensi,e. $or -arents )ho )ant their chil!ren to "ro) u- relati,el+ une/-ose! to !ou*t% ?ar)in or in!ecent

@'



lunchroom chatter% home2schoolin" offers ho-e. An! one reason the mo,ement is "ro)in" so 0uickl+ is thatreli"ious Americans ten! to ha,e a lot of chil!ren.

onsi!er the 7iller!s% a famil+ of 7ormons )ho li,e not far from the Allens in south2)est Geor"ia. The+ ha,eei"ht chil!ren. At one -oint% four )ere in -u*lic school. ut )hen one ha! his hea! *an"e! *ecause other ki!s)ere fi"htin" on a school *us an! another came home )ith a mouth full of trash 4fi"urati,el+ s-eakin"5% Tir9ah7iller!% their mother% !eci!e! to *rin" them home.

It )as tou"h at first. 7rs 7iller! ha! Bust ha! her se,enth *a*+ an! her hus*an!% a marine% )as -oste! to the ;ornof Africa. ut after a )hile she "ot use! to it. No)% she sa+s she lo,es e,er+ minute. The ol!er ki!s hel- coach the+oun"er. There are lots of "oo! te/t*ooks an! online tutorials. A local -ri,ate school lets them use a chemistr+ la*.$or s-ort% the+ -la+ -in"2-on" or s)im. An! their father tau"ht them car-entr+ )hen *uil!in" the house.

8--onents of home2schoolin"22an! some of them are ,ehement22ar"ue that it is sociall+ !i,isi,e. Also% since it isre"ulate! li"htl+ or not at all% it is har! to tell )hether chil!ren *ein" tau"ht at home are recei,in" an a!e0uatee!ucation. Unre"ulate! home2schoolin" o-ens u- the -ossi*ilit+ that chil!ren )ill ne,er learn a*outQalternati,e)a+s of life% )rites Ro* Reich of Stanfor! Uni,ersit+.

ut -arents make no a-olo"+ for shiel!in" their chil!ren from )hat the+ see as *a! influences. The+ hotl+ !en+that chil!ren learn *etter social skills on a school -la+"roun! than at home. The chil!ren +our corres-on!ent metin Geor"ia )ere confi!ent% "re"arious an! socialise! a lot% al*eit mostl+ )ith families !oin" the same thin". The+

)ere also at ease )ith frien!s of !ifferent a"es. Pu*lic2school ki!s% *+ contrast% li,e in an a"e2se"re"ate! her!%scoffs 7ichael $arris% the chancellor of Patrick ;enr+ olle"e% a hristian uni,ersit+ in Vir"inia most of )hosestu!ents )ere tau"ht at home.

Dhether teachin" at home +iel!s *etter or )orse aca!emic results than the con,entional sort is im-ossi*le to sa+.Its *oosters ar"ue that one2on2one instruction hel-s chil!ren learn% an! -oint to the strikin" num*er of home2schoole! chil!ren )ho )in !e*atin" contests an! s-ellin" *ees. A stu!+ of &'%''' home2schoole! stu!ents in #

*+ La)rence Ru!ner of the Uni,ersit+ of 7ar+lan! foun! that the+ score! )ell a*o,e a,era"e in aca!emic tests%an! su*se0uent stu!ies ha,e foun! similar results. This is im-ressi,e% *ut !oes not -ro,e that the metho! issu-erior. Parents )ho teach at home are !ee-l+ in,ol,e! in their chil!ren<s e!ucation% an! the chil!ren of such

-arents !o )ell in normal schools% too.

Some states tr+ to re"ulate home2schoolin". T)ent+2si/ re0uire -arents to -ro,i!e re"ular test scores or

-rofessional e,aluations of their chil!ren<s -ro"ress. 8f these% si/% concentrate! in the north2east% re0uire muchmore% such as the use of a--ro,e! curriculums or home ,isits *+ *ureaucrats. $ourteen states !eman! onl+ that

-arents tell the authorities that the+ are home2schoolin". An! ten !o not re"ulate it at all. Some chil!ren tau"ht athome un!ou*te!l+ recei,e a -oor e!ucation. ut so !o man+ chil!ren in -u*lic schools.

The mo,ement )ill -ro*a*l+ continue to "ro). $or one thin"% it is "ettin" easier. The internet lets -arents !isco,er teachin" materials an! communicate )ith each other% s)a--in" ti-s online. The+ lo**+ ,i"orousl+ a"ainstan+thin" that mi"ht cram- their free!om. 7oreo,er% ha,in" arack 8*ama in the Dhite ;ouse ma+ cause more

-eo-le to -ull their chil!ren out of -u*lic schools% -re!icts 7r $arris. Vie)s of the "o,ernment are coloure! *+,ie)s of the -resi!ent% he sa+s% e,en thou"h the -resi!ent has little control o,er e!ucation. An! 7r 8*ama is far too li*eral for most of America<s home2schoolers.

Study <uestions / Kitchen/classroom Conservatives @The Economist August, 6778

#. ;o) has the -o-ularit+ an! -ossi*ilit+ of home2schoolin" chan"e! in the US o,er timeM&. Dho is the t+-ical home2schooler no) as o--ose! to in the -astM@. Dh+ !o -eo-le choose home2schoolin" instea! of sen!in" their chil!ren to school%

-u*lic or -ri,ateM(. Dhat ar"uments a"ainst home2schoolin" are mentione! in the articleMH. ;o) !o home2schoole! chil!ren com-are to other chil!ren aca!emicall+% accor!in" to

the articleM. ;o) !oes S)e!en or +our countr+ !eal )ith issues of reli"ion in e!ucationM ;o) !oes

reli"ion affect American schoolsM

@#



TASK: ;o) is home2schoolin" ke-t un!er some form of state "o,ernment controlMDhat !ifferences are there *et)een states on this issueM Look at @ !ifferent states= home

schoolin" -olic+ from @ !ifferent re"ions of the US. ;o) !o the rules an! re"ulations

!ifferM Dhat are the !emo"ra-hics of these statesM3 ome -re-are! to +our stu!+

"rou-s )ith the ans)ers an! com-are +our notes. rin" these ans)ers to the seminar as

)ell.

Americas mis)laced disdain (or vocational education 0ocational training Too narro)% toosoonM

Oun #Jth &'#' Waunakee Wisconsin

SARA; WAN?ER an! Ashle+ Oaco*sen are like man+ teena"e "irls. Sarah likes soccer. Ashle+)as ca-tain of her school=s team of cheerlea!ers this +ear. The+ are also earnin" "oo! mone+as nursin" assistants at a retirement home. Sarah -lans to *ecome a re"istere! nurse. Ashle+ma+ *ecome a -harmacolo"ist. Their futures look sunn+. et *oth are -ro!ucts of )hat is

ar"ua*l+ America=s most sneere!2at hi"h2school -ro"ramme1 ,ocational trainin".

Vocational e!ucation has *een so !is-ara"e! that its fe) a!,ocates ha,e resorte! to "i,in" it ane) name1 Fcareer an! technical e!ucation 4TE5. Aca!emic courses that -re-are stu!ents for"ettin" into uni,ersities% *+ contrast% are seen as the ke+ to hi"her )a"es an! "lo*al -ro)ess.Last month the National Go,ernors Association -ro-ose! stan!ar!s to make stu!ents Fcolle"ean! career rea!+. ut a fe) states% !istricts an! think2tanks fa,our a ra!ical notion. InAmerica=s 0uest to raise )a"es an! com-ete internationall+% TE ma+ *e not a hin!rance *ut ahel-.

America has a uni0ue !is!ain for ,ocational e!ucation. It has su--orte! such trainin" since##J6 mone+ no) comes from the Perkins Act% )hich is reauthorise! e,er+ si/ +ears. ;o)e,er%man+ Americans hate the i!ea of schoolchil!ren settin" out on career -aths:such

-re!etermination% the+ think% threatens the ethos of o--ortunit+. As )a"es ha,e risen for those)ith colle"e !e"rees% sce-ticism of TE has "ro)n too. + &''H onl+ one2fifth of hi"h2schoolstu!ents s-ecialise! in an in!ustr+% com-are! )ith one2thir! in #&. The share of #J2+ear2ol!sas-irin" to four2+ear colle"e% mean)hile% reache! > in &''@% !ou*le the le,el of ##. utthe fact remains that not e,er+ stu!ent )ill "ra!uate from uni,ersit+. This ma+ make -oliticiansuncomforta*le% *ut it is not catastro-hic. The ouncil of Economic A!,isers -roBects faster2"ro)in" !eman! for those )ith a t)o2+ear technical2colle"e !e"ree% or s-ecific trainin"% thanfor those )ith a full uni,ersit+ !e"ree.

A "ro)in" chorus of state an! local lea!ers ar"ues that TE can hel-. Rather than -it trainin"a"ainst uni,ersit+ -re-aration% the+ are tr+in" to inte"rate the t)o. TE stu!ents ma+ "o on touni,ersit+% to trainin" or !irectl+ into )ork. The Perkins Act nu!"es such efforts for)ar!% *utthe *i" sho,e comes from *e+on! Dashin"ton. Disconsin=s "o,ernor% Oim ?o+le% has e/-an!e!his state=s +outh a--rentice -ro"ramme% )hich -ro,i!es hi"h2school stu!ents such as Sarah an!Ashle+ )ith Bo*s. Aca!emic courses are com-lemente! *+ those at technical colle"es.

The most successful mo!el% ho)e,er% ma+ *e Fcareer aca!emies. Starte! in Phila!el-hia in#% mimicke! in alifornia in the #'s an! su--orte! else)here *+ San!+ Deil=s NationalAca!em+ $oun!ation% these small schools com*ine aca!emic an! technical curriculums an!

"i,e stu!ents )ork e/-erience. Dhen -ro-erl+ im-lemente!% career aca!emies can -ro!ucestrikin" results. The non2-artisan 7?R foun! that colle"e attainment !i! not rise relati,e to acontrol "rou-% *ut career aca!emies !i! *oost stu!ents= earnin"s *+ ##>. Amon" *o+s%earnin"s )ere #J> hi"her. oun" men )ere more likel+ to *e marrie!.

@&



The challen"e is to scale u- such -ro"rammes. Dithin a s-ra)lin" hi"h school in hica"o%Ke,in Rutter runs a small finance aca!em+% teachin" stu!ents a*out markets% accountin" an!

-ersonal finance% )elcomin" e/ecuti,es an! hel-in" stu!ents fin! internshi-s. hica"o=sschools s+stem this +ear sai! it )oul! re,am- its TE s+stem to mimic aca!emies such as 7rRutter=s% mer"in" aca!emic )ork )ith trainin" for "ro)th in!ustries. alifornia has -ursue!similar reforms6 TE=s main cham-ion is Arnol! Sch)ar9ene""er.

7r 8*ama shoul! -resuma*l+ -ush alon" such efforts. Last +ear he aske! e,er+ American tocommit to at least one +ear of trainin"% )hether throu"h a Fcommunit+ colle"e or four2+earschool% ,ocational trainin" or an a--renticeshi-. ;o)e,er% the "o,ernors= ne) stan!ar!s stillem-hasise aca!emic skills. The e!ucation secretar+=s -lan to reauthorise No hil! Left ehin!

*arel+ mentions TE. A!,ocates ho-e this )ill chan"e.

In the meantime% a *ol! ne) -ro"ramme is inchin" for)ar!. The National entre on E!ucationan! the Econom+ 4NEE5% a think2tank% is !e,elo-in" a test that stu!ents ma+ take in theirsecon! +ear of hi"h school. 8n -assin"% the+ coul! -rocee! to a communit+ colle"e or sta+ inhi"h school to a--l+ to a four2+ear uni,ersit+. Those )ho fail )oul! take e/tra courses to hel-them -ass. A -ilot -ro"ramme% su--orte! *+ the Gates $oun!ation% )ill *e"in in ei"ht statesne/t +ear. Some -arents are alrea!+ outra"e! *+ the ima"ine! s-ectre of trackin". 7arc Tucker%)ho lea!s the NEE% ar"ues that a -ath to a communit+ colle"e mi"ht kee- stu!ents en"a"e!.Such a s+stem )oul! -ro,i!e stu!ents )ith more o--ortunit+% not less.

uestions1

#. Dhat are ,ocational schools an! )h+ ha,e the+ chan"e! their name to TEM 3

&. Summari9e the !ifferent -ro"rams that man+ states are initiatin" re"ar!in" ,ocational

schools.

@. Dh+ are -arents in -articular u-set a*out ,ocational schoolsM

(. 4Dhat are these t+-es of schools calle! in S)e!en an! ho) are the+ looke! u-oncom-are! to ho) the US has looke! u-on them in the -astM5

The $ew A((irmative Action

@@



Tierne+ Gearon for The Ne) ork Times

T)o !eca!es a"o% $rances ;arris )oul! ha,e *een a shoo2in for a -lace in U..L.A.=s class of &'##. ut the -olitical lan!sca-e chan"e!% an! )ith it her chances for a!mission.

+ ?AVI? LE8N;AR?TPu*lishe!1 Se-tem*er @'% &''J

In another time% it )oul!n=t ha,e *een too har! to "uess )here $rances ;arris )oul! ha,e en!e! u- "oin" tocolle"e. She has mana"e! to !o ,er+ )ell in ,er+ !ifficult circumstances% an! she is African2American. ;er hi"hschool% in the 8ak Park nei"h*orhoo! of Sacramento% )as shut !o)n as an irreme!ia*le failure the s-rin" *eforeher freshman +ear% then reo-ene! months later as a charter school. 7i!)a+ throu"h hi"h school% her father!e,elo-e! heart -ro*lems an! *ecame an irrita*le fi/ture aroun! the home. She also !isco,ere! that he )as notactuall+ her *iolo"ical father. That )as a man name! Lero+ )ho% )hen her mother took ;arris to see him% sim-l+

sai! his name )as Geor"e an! )aite! for her to lea,e. In ;arris=s senior +ear% her mother lost her Bo* at a nursin"home an! the famil+ file! for *ankru-tc+.

;arris someho) sta+e! focuse! on teena"e life. She earne! an A2minus a,era"e an! she !istin"uishe! herself as a!e*ater. ;er *asket*all teammates sometimes tease! her for usin" *i" )or!s% *ut the+ also electe! her co2ca-tain.FThe har!est -art of hi"h school% she sa+s% F)as to *e smart an! cool at the same time. She !eci!e! her !reamcolle"e )as the Uni,ersit+ of alifornia% Los An"eles.

Ten or &' +ears a"o% $rances ;arris almost certainl+ )oul! ha,e *een a!mitte!. ;er e/cellent "ra!es mi"ht notha,e e,en *een necessar+% *ecause erkele+ an! U..L.A. : the Be)els in the U.. s+stem : acce-te! almost allof the African2Americans )ho met the *asic a--lication re0uirements. To an a!missions officer% ;arris )oul! ha,eseeme! like "ol!1 !i,ersit+ an! achie,ement% )ra--e! u- in a sin"le ki!.

ut in the earl+ #'s% the elite cam-uses *e"an to -ull *ack from their a""ressi,e affirmati,e2action -olicies% an!in #% alifornia ,oters -asse! the alifornia i,il Ri"hts Initiati,e% also kno)n as Pro-osition &'. After that%race coul! no lon"er *e a factor in "o,ernment hirin" or -u*lic2uni,ersit+ a!missions. The num*er of *lackstu!ents at *oth erkele+ an! U..L.A. -lummete!% an! at U..L.A. the !eclines continue! throu"hout the ne/t!eca!e. The reasons )eren=t entirel+ clear% *ut the+ seeme! to inclu!e some com*ination of the a!missions officetakin" Pro-osition &' to heart an! *lack stu!ents fallin" further *ehin! in the aca!emic arms race. 4;arris% forinstance% score! a && on the AT test : sli"htl+ a*o,e the national a,era"e an! )ell *elo) the U..L.A.a,era"e.5 The chan"es on U..L.A.=s cam-us )ere har! to miss. In #J% the freshman class inclu!e! &&# *lackstu!ents6 last fall it ha! onl+ #''. In the re"ion )ith easil+ the lar"est *lack -o-ulation )est of the 7ississi--iRi,er% the to- -u*lic uni,ersit+ ha! a freshman class in )hich *arel+ # in H' stu!ents )as *lack.

A U..L.A. "ra!uate name! Peter Ta+lor% a (2+ear2ol! mana"in" !irector at Lehman rothers in Los An"eles%

remem*ers -ickin" u- The Los An"eles Times outsi!e his house on a Satur!a+ mornin" in Oune of last +ear an!rea!in" that -iece of ne)s. Ta+lor% )ho is *lack% is a thir!2"eneration nati,e of the cit+ an! one of U..L.A.=s mostacti,e alumni. Dithin !a+s of rea!in" a*out the latest !ecline in the num*er of *lack stu!ents% he *e"an acam-ai"n to re,erse it. At a rece-tion to honor U..L.A.=s ne) actin" chancellor% a la) -rofessor name! Norm

@(

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A*rams% he "reete! A*rams )ith a *i" smile an! sai!% FDell% Norm% +ou=re ste--in" ri"ht into it% an! +ou=,e "otto !eal )ith it. A*rams soon name! Ta+lor to lea! a task force of stu!ents% facult+% alumni an! outsi!ers from

-laces like the Ur*an Lea"ue an! the $irst A.7.E. hurch. It s-ent the ne/t +ear tr+in" to "et more *lack stu!entsto a--l+% more *lack a--licants to *e a!mitte! an! more *lack a!mits to enroll. In essence% Ta+lor=s "rou- )astr+in" to fi"ure out ho) to *rin" a stu!ent like $rances ;arris to U..L.A. )ithout *reakin" the la) : or at least)ithout "ettin" cau"ht. Dhat the+ ha,e achie,e! ma+ )ell sho) us the future of affirmati,e action.

Peter Ta+lor=s office on the &Hth floor of the 7G7 uil!in" in entur+ it+ looks out o,er the $o/ mo,ie lot an!

a "olf course6 in the !istance !o)nto)n Los An"eles rises. Ta+lor has li,e! in an arts+ nei"h*orhoo! of LosAn"eles calle! Sil,er Lake since he )as a chil!. In the aftermath of the Datts riots% his father% then a schoola!ministrator an! one of the fe) *lack men to hol! such a Bo*% *ecame the -rinci-al of Locke ;i"h School inSouth2entral Los An"eles. Ta+lor himself )ent on from U..L.A. to earn a master=s !e"ree in -u*lic -olic+ an!)ork for ill linton=s #& cam-ai"n *efore Boinin" Lehman rothers.

The heart of alifornia=s hi"her2e!ucation -ro*lem% accor!in" to Ta+lor% is that Pro-osition &' create! a -atentl+im-ossi*le situation. The la) sa+s that uni,ersities can=t consi!er race% e,en thou"h race has an enormous effecton the li,es of a--licants. alifornia=s *est hi"h schools offer so man+ A.P. an! honors classes : )hich confer

*onus -oints on a stu!ent=s G.P.A. : that the a,era"e G.P.A. of )hite an! Asian freshmen at U..L.A. is no) (.&.At man+ of the lar"el+ *lack hi"h schools aroun! Los An"eles% it is sometimes im-ossi*le to !o much *etter than a(.'% *ecause of the relati,e lack of A.P. classes. lack stu!ents at *etter hi"h schools ha,e a much easier time% *utit=s not as if the+ are kee-in" u- )ith their -eers. E,en if U..L.A. trie! to "et aroun! Pro-osition &' *+ "i,in" a

*i" le" u- to lo)2income a--licants% it )oul!n=t increase its *lack -o-ulation ,er+ much. At e,er+ run" of thesocioeconomic la!!er% the aca!emic recor! of *lack stu!ents is )orse than that of other "rou-s. As Ta+lor sa+s1FThere is a "reat !eal of -ressure to look for a -ro/+ for race. There is no -ro/+ for race.

;e an! man+ other !efen!ers of affirmati,e action consi!er this to *e a self2e,i!ent fact% *ut there has also *een a"oo! !eal of social science to su--ort the ,ie) that the s-ecific -ro*lems surroun!in" race : inclu!in"!iscrimination : en!ure. 8ne illustrati,e stu!+ foun! that rXsumXs )ith t+-icall+ *lack names are less likel+ tolea! to Bo* inter,ie)s than those )ith t+-icall+ )hite names. 8ther recent stu!ies ha,e looke! at intelli"encetestin". There ha,e lon" *een t)o uncomforta*le facts in this area1 Intelli"ence% in!is-uta*l+% is in -art "enetic6an! e,er+ intelli"ence test sho)s a "a- *et)een *lack Americans an! others. $or a lon" time% scientific research)asn=t ,er+ "oo! at e/-lainin" this "a-. ut it has "otten *etter latel+. $or one thin"% the "a- *et)een )hite an!

*lack a!ults has narro)e! si"nificantl+ since #J'% accor!in" to )ork *+ the note! researchers Dilliam ?ickensan! Oames $l+nn. $our !eca!es is too short a time -erio! for the "ene -ool to chan"e% *ut it=s not too short foren,ironment to im-ro,e. 7ost intri"uin"% Rolan! $r+er an! Ste,en ?. Le,itt% t)o economists 4the latter is one ofthis ma"a9ine=s $reakonomics columnists5% ha,e foun! there to *e essentiall+ no "a- *et)een #2+ear2ol! )hite an!

*lack chil!ren of the same socioeconomic status.

There are still ,i"orous !e*ates a*out all this )ork : intelli"ence tests of #2+ear2ol!s are iff+% for instance : *utit -oints in one !irection. Innate intelli"ence ma+ *e -artl+ "enetic% *ut it !oesn=t seem to ,ar+ *+ race. So )hilerace ma+ not *e the onl+ source of !isa!,anta"e in to!a+=s societ+% it is certainl+ one of them.

Since affirmati,e action *e"an in the mi!2#'s% it has ha! *oth an e/-licit role an! an im-licit one in Americanlife. E/-licitl+% it has *een a*out race an!% to a lesser !e"ree% se/ : a -olic+ to make u- for centuries ofo--ression an! to ensure !i,ersit+. ut there has al)a+s *een a *roa!er notion to affirmati,e action as )ell. It has

*een the most serious effort of an+ kin! to ensure e0ualit+ of o--ortunit+% )ithout re"ar! to )ealth or -o,ert+.

Dhen all else faile! : the Dar on Po,ert+% )elfare% -u*lic schools : affirmati,e action )oul! *e there to hel-less2fortunate Americans o,ercome the circumstances of their ori"ins. FA*ilit+ is not Bust the -ro!uct of *irth%L+n!on Oohnson sai! )hen he effecti,el+ create! affirmati,e action !urin" a "ra!uation s-eech at ;o)ar!Uni,ersit+ in #H. FA*ilit+ is stretche! or stunte! *+ the famil+ that +ou li,e )ith an! the nei"h*orhoo! +ou li,ein : *+ the school +ou "o to an! the -o,ert+ or the richness of +our surroun!in"s. It is the -ro!uct of a hun!re!unseen forces -la+in" u-on the little infant% the chil! an!% finall+% the man.

The more e/-ansi,e i!ea of affirmati,e action as a counter)ei"ht to those Funseen forces has *ecome ti"htl+linke! to the self2ima"e of American uni,ersities. A*o,e all else% the+ are su--ose! to *e meritocracies. To *etrul+ meritocratic% a colle"e must *e !i,erse : or else acce-t that some "rou-s in societ+ ha,e less merit thanothers an! their un!erre-resentation can=t *e hel-e!. Uni,ersit+ a!ministrators clearl+ reBect this secon! ,ie)% an!as a result the *est colle"es are no) fille! )ith stu!ents of *oth se/es an! e,er+ ima"ina*le race an! reli"ion. If+ou )ere to ask a!missions officers )hether the+ also "a,e s-ecial consi!eration to lo)2income a--licants :

)hether the+ "a,e them cre!it for o,ercomin" Oohnson=s unseen forces : the officers )oul! sa+ that% a*solutel+%the+ !i!.

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In truth% ho)e,er% the+ !i! not. Three +ears a"o% Dilliam o)en 4the former -resi!ent of Princeton5 an! t)o otherresearchers !isco,ere! )hat )as reall+ "oin" on. The+ -ersua!e! # elite colle"es : inclu!in" ;ar,ar!% 7i!!le*ur+ an! Vir"inia : to let them anal+9e their a!missions recor!s. The easiest )a+ to un!erstan! the resultsis to ima"ine a "rou- of stu!ents )ho each ha,e the same SAT scores. ;ol!in" that e0ual% a recruite! athlete )as@' -ercenta"e -oints more likel+ to *e a!mitte! than a nonathlete. A *lack% Latino or Nati,e American stu!ent )as& -ercenta"e -oints more likel+ to *e a!mitte! than a )hite or Asian stu!ent. A le"ac+ recei,e! a &'2-ercenta"e2

-oint *oost o,er someone )hose -arents ha!n=t atten!e! that colle"e. An! lo)2income stu!entsM The+ recei,e! noa!,anta"e )hatsoe,er. A -oor )hite ki! from u-state Ne) ork )oul! *e treate! no !ifferentl+ from a )hite ki!

in ha--a0ua. $rances ;arris )oul! "et no more of a le" u- than the *lack !au"hter of cor-orate la)+ers.

o)en sa+s he !oesn=t *elie,e that a!missions !eans )ere l+in" )hen the+ sai! that their affirmati,e2action -ro"rams took social class into account. The colle"es a--arentl+ -ut e,en more stock in the -olish that comes )ithaffluence : the )ell2e!ite! essa+% the summer tri- to Guatemala% the Ara*ic lan"ua"e lessons. In an+ case% the

-oor lose.

There are some *i" -ro*lems )ith this a--roach to affirmati,e action. $or one thin"% it rests on a ,er+ ricket+ *aseof -olitical su--ort. olle"es often resort to hu"e -references to create a raciall+ !i,erse stu!ent *o!+% es-eciall+ if the+ ha,en=t *een "i,in" an+ a!,anta"e to lo)2income a--licants% )ho are of course !is-ro-ortionatel+ minorities.An! man+ of the *eneficiaries of the -references en! u- *ein" u--er2mi!!le2class minorit+ stu!ents% since the+ten! to ha,e *etter test scores than -oor minorities. The hel-in" han! that "oes to these relati,el+ )ell2offnon)hite stu!ents strikes man+ -eo-le as unBust. It makes it seem as if affirmati,e action isn=t makin" "oo! on its

lar"er -romise. Affirmati,e action *ecomes a*out mere !i,ersit+ : an! not e,en all forms of !i,ersit+ : ratherthan fairness. Politicall+% that has ma!e it )eaker an! )eaker.

In the mi!2#'s% a *usinessman in alifornia name! Dar! onnerl+ *e"an makin" some of these ,er+ criticisms.onnerl+ )as *orn in Louisiana in #@6 his father left the famil+% an! his mother !ie! )hen he )as a little *o+.So he )as sent Dest to Sacramento to *e raise! *+ his "ran!mother. ;e e,entuall+ *e"an )orkin" for the state"o,ernment% )here he *ecame frien!s )ith Pete Dilson% a +oun" Re-u*lican le"islator. After Dilson )as electe!"o,ernor in #'% he name! onnerl+ to the Uni,ersit+ of alifornia=s *oar! of re"ents% an! onnerl+ *e"an

-ressurin" the uni,ersit+ to cut *ack on race2*ase! -references. ;is efforts culminate! in Pro-osition &'.

onnerl+% not least *ecause he is *lack% )as the -oliticall+ -erfect face of the anti2affirmati,e2action mo,ement.;e ar"ue! then% as he still !oes% that the -atch)ork of !i,erse cam-uses an! )ork-laces create! *+ affirmati,e

action has !elu!e! the countr+ into thinkin" that it is sol,in" its racial -ro*lems. In truth% he sa+s% the -olic+ hasactuall+ ma!e it har!er for *lacks to close the achie,ement "a- )ith )hites. FIt=s not "enetic% I=m con,ince!% hetol! me this summer. FSo )hat is itM I think it=s lar"el+ self2im-ose! *+ *lack -eo-le )ho !on=t -ut as muchem-hasis on aca!emic achie,ement as the+ once !i! an! as other "rou-s !o no). onnerl+ )ill tell +ou that heen!e! u- "oin" to colle"e 4at Sacramento State5 *ecause his "ran!mother -ushe! him to rea! *ooks all the time.

7an+ -eo-le reBect his ar"ument as sim-listic% if not )orse. ut )hate,er +ou think of his solution% it=s har! not tofin! some truth in his criti0ue of tra!itional affirmati,e action. ertainl+% ,oters seem to feel this )a+. Last +ear%7ichi"an -asse! an initiati,e i!entical to Pro-osition &'% an!% thanks to onnerl+% se,eral other states are likel+to ,ote on such -ro-osals ne/t +ear. Soon% more uni,ersities ma+ fin! themsel,es in the same situation as theUni,ersit+ of alifornia.

There is almost an iron la) of hi"her e!ucation1 the more selecti,e a school is% the fe)er lo)2income stu!ents it

has. At ;ar,ar! an! ale% onl+ a*out #' -ercent of un!er"ra!uates recei,e fe!eral Pell Grants. 4T+-icall+% stu!entsfrom the *ottom (' -ercent of the income !istri*ution are eli"i*le for the Pell.5 E,en at to- -u*lic uni,ersities% theshare is often #H -ercent or less. The colle"es that are fille! )ith -oor an! mi!!le2class stu!ents almost in,aria*l+ha,e lo) "ra!uation rates. So their "ra!uates are more likel+ to en! u- on the )ron" si!e of the &#st centur+=se!ucational !i,i!e. A *achelor=s !e"ree seems out of reach to a lar"e -ortion of the American -o-ulation% an!% as aresult% other countries ha,e close! the "a- in e!ucational attainment )ith the Unite! States o,er the last"eneration.

There are reall+ onl+ t)o e/ce-tions to the rule% t)o uni,ersities that are *oth elite an! economicall+ !i,erse1U..L.A. an! erkele+. A chart on U.S. Ne)s Dorl! Re-ort=s De* site !oes a nice Bo* of summari9in" Bust ho)unusual the+ are. It lists the -ercenta"e of Pell Grant reci-ients at each uni,ersit+ in the ma"a9ine=s famous To- &Hrankin". U..L.A. to-s the list% at @J -ercent% an! erkele+ comes ne/t% at @# -ercent. In thir! -lace is olum*ia%)ith Bust #H -ercent.

To *e fair% the main e/-lanation for this "a- is !emo"ra-hic ha--enstance. alifornia is fille! )ith lo)2incomeimmi"rant families% es-eciall+ from Asia an! Latin America% )ith hi"h2achie,in" chil!ren. ut a set of !eli*erate

-olicies also -la+s an im-ortant role. The Uni,ersit+ of alifornia acce-ts far more transfer stu!ents% mainl+ from

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communit+ colle"es% than most colle"es. At U..L.A.% a*out one2thir! of the a!mitte! stu!ents arri,e as transfersinstea! of as freshmen. Dhen I )as on cam-us% I met a &J2+ear2ol! 7e/ican immi"rant name! ?aniel $lores% )ho)as a!mitte! three +ears a"o as a Bunior e,en thou"h% as $lores tol! me% FI *arel+ "ra!uate! hi"h school. ;is first

Bo* after hi"h school )as in one of U..L.A.=s !inin" halls% )here he reali9e! that he )oul! nee! more e!ucationif he e,er )ante! to make much more than minimum )a"e. ;e then enrolle! in a communit+ colle"e in Dest LosAn"eles an! e/celle! there. Dhen he )as # +ears ol! : the onl+ -oint in life )hen elite colle"es usuall+consi!er can!i!ates : no sane a!missions officer )oul! ha,e let him in. + the time he )as &@% it )as clear heha! mainl+ Bust lacke! for "oo! o--ortunities. Earlier this +ear% he "ra!uate! from U..L.A.6 an! there are

hun!re!s of other stu!ents )ith life stories not so !ifferent from $lores=s )ho are )alkin" throu"h the Italianate *uil!in"s on the uni,ersit+=s lush cam-us.

If an+thin"% Pro-osition &' ma+ ha,e hel-e! kee- the U.. cam-uses as economicall+ !i,erse as the+ are.?es-erate to maintain some racial !i,ersit+% uni,ersit+ officials set u- outreach -ro"rams in lo)er2income school!istricts% as Oames Trau* !escri*e! in this ma"a9ine se,eral +ears a"o. 8ne of them% run *+ U.. ?a,is% )hich isoutsi!e of Sacramento% ,isite! $rances ;arris=s elementar+ school. It )as aroun! this time that ;arris first tol! her

-arents that she -lanne! to "o to colle"e. 8,er the +ears% )hen thin"s "ot tou"h% the+ *oth ma!e a -oint ofremin!in" her of her ,o). FAt times I "ot !iscoura"e!% an! the+ sai!% ou=,e sai! +ou=re "oin" to "o to colle"e%an! +ou=re "oin" to "o%= she recalle!. A frame! Freser,ation for colle"e certificate from the ?a,is -ro"ram stillhan"s in her *e!room.

After the initiati,e -asse!% the U.. cam-uses also -ut more )ei"ht on stu!ents= socioeconomic *ack"roun!s )hen

the+ ma!e a!missions !ecisions. Richar! San!er% a U..L.A. la) -rofessor )ho has *ecome a critic of affirmati,eaction% stu!ie! a!missions !ata at erkele+ an! foun! that% all else *ein" e0ual% lo)er2income stu!ents ha! a *etter chance of "ettin" in after #J than *efore. To"ether% these ,arious class2*ase! efforts ha,e hel-e! the share ofPell Grant stu!ents at *oth U..L.A. an! erkele+ to hol! stea!+ o,er the last !eca!e% e,en as it has !ecline! atman+ similar colle"es.

ou can make an ar"ument% in fact% that the sin"le most im-ressi,e uni,ersit+ in the countr+ to!a+ is U..L.A. Itrecei,es more freshman a--lications than an+ other : H'%J(( this +ear : an!% unlike man+ of its -eers% it canle"itimatel+ claim to *e an en"ine of o--ortunit+. A*out ' -ercent of its stu!ents% )hether the+ enter as freshmenor transfers% e,entuall+ "ra!uate. Dhat it+ olle"e of Ne) ork )as to the &'th centur+% U..L.A. is to the &#st.

An! no)% ma+*e% it is fi"urin" out )a+s to sol,e its race -ro*lem.

8ne ni"ht in march of this +ear% Peter Ta+lor an! three other U..L.A. alumni met in his office to "o o,er a *i"stack of U..L.A. a--lications from stu!ents )ho ha! alrea!+ *een a!mitte!. 8,er san!)iches% the four of them

: none of )hom )as a uni,ersit+ em-lo+ee : hel-e! !etermine ho) much financial ai! each stu!ent )oul! "et.This )as one of the F*ureaucratic co,er2me e/ercises% as Ta+lor -uts it% at the heart of the ne) !i,ersit+ -ush atU..L.A.

In the -re,ious fe) months% Ta+lor an! his "rou- ha! raise! #.J million for scholarshi-s% the -lan *ein" to offer,irtuall+ all of it% imme!iatel+% to a!mitte! *lack stu!ents. The easiest thin" to !o )oul! ha,e *een to han! o,erthe mone+ to the U..L.A. $oun!ation% )hich hol!s an! in,ests the uni,ersit+=s en!o)ment% an! then allo)financial2ai! officers to "i,e it a)a+ as the+ sa) fit. ut U..L.A.=s "eneral counsel sai! that allo)in" thefoun!ation to han!le fun!s s-ecificall+ set asi!e for *lack stu!ents mi"ht ,iolate the la). An! lettin" the financial2ai! office !is*urse the mone+ almost certainl+ )oul! ha,e !one so% since Pro-osition &' -rohi*ite! colle"es from

recruitin" stu!ents an! offerin" scholarshi-s *ase! on race. ut it !i!n=t -re,ent stu!ent an! alumni "rou-s from!oin" so. In effect% Ta+lor an! his task force *e"an outsourcin" )ork that normall+ )oul! ha,e *een !one *+ theuni,ersit+.

Stu!ents an! alumni ste--e! u- their recruitin" efforts. The+ ,isite! hi"h schools an! set u- a -hone *ank% )iththe hel- of a s+m-athetic alumnus )ho o)ne! a call center% to reach out to *lack hi"h2school seniors. South)estAirlines !onate! -lane tickets% hel-in" *lack stu!ents )ho ha! *een a!mitte! to ,isit the cam-us. 4A sur,e+ in&''H ha! sho)n that a!mitte! stu!ents )ere far more likel+ to choose U..L.A. if the+ ha! ,isite! it. If +ou=,e

*een to the cam-us% this )on=t sur-rise +ou.5 8ne -ro"ram that "reete! -ros-ecti,e *lack stu!ents% calle! lack *+Po-ular ?eman!% )as run *+ the African Stu!ent Union an! the lack Alumni Association. Another -ro"ram :Scholars ?a+s : )as aime! *roa!l+ at less2than2-ri,ile"e! stu!ents% an! it )as run *+ the uni,ersit+. The t)o)ere sche!ule! to o,erla-.

This outsourcin" )as the secon! -art of the task force=s t)o2-ron"e! strate"+. The "rou- also ur"e! U..L.A.=sfacult+ senate last +ear to alter the a!missions -rocess. In the -ast% the a!missions office !i,i!e! e,er+ a--lication

*et)een t)o rea!ers1 one e,aluate! a stu!ent=s aca!emic recor!% the other looke! at e/tracurricular acti,ities an!Flife challen"es. erkele+% *+ contrast% ha! taken a more holistic a--roach% )ith a sin"le rea!er Bu!"in" an entire

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a--lication% an! erkele+ )as attractin" more *lack stu!ents than U..L.A. Dh+M 7a+*e the holistic a--roachtakes *etter account of the su*tle o*stacles that *lack stu!ents face : or ma+*e the rea!ers% )hen lookin" at a fulla--lication% en!e! u- -racticin" a little un!er2the2ta*le affirmati,e action.

Last fall% U..L.A. ma!e the s)itch. T)o a--lications rea!ers I inter,ie)e! sai! that the+ ha! recei,e! clear%)ritten instructions not to consi!er race an! that the+ ha!n=t. 4There are #H' rea!ers in all% a mi/ of uni,ersit+em-lo+ees an! -ai! outsi!ers.5 8n the other han!% a--licants seeme! to un!erstan! that somethin" ha! chan"e!.?aniel $o""% a com-uter -ro"rammer in the a!missions office an! an a--lication rea!er% tol! me that he notice!

more stu!ents mentionin" race in their essa+s this +ear.

Dhate,er the reasons% e,er+ -hase of Ta+lor=s cam-ai"n turne! out to *e a success. 7ore than &%('' *lackstu!ents a--lie! last s-rin"% u- #@ -ercent from the -re,ious +ear. Their a!mission rate rose to #.& -ercent% from##.H -ercent. 8f those )ho )ere a!mitte!% sli"htl+ more than half sai! +es% u- from (# -ercent in &''. In all%a*out &'' African2American freshmen starte! classes last )eek% !ou*le the num*er the +ear *efore.

8ne of them )as $rances ;arris. ack at her hi"h school in Sacramento this s-rin"% a "rou- of seniors !eci!e! tocele*rate their school=s turnaroun! *+ -hotoco-+in" their colle"e acce-tance letters an! ta-in" them to the )alls.An entire hall)a+ )as fille! )ith hun!re!s of letters. Until I stoo! in the hall)a+ )ith ;arris% I )asn=t sure it )as

-ossi*le to fin! an+ -art of to!a+=s colle"e2a--lication -rocess ins-irin". Ele,en of the letters )ere hers% inclu!in"ones from Pit9er olle"e% oston Uni,ersit+% U..L.A. an! U.. ?a,is. 4erkele+ reBecte! her.5 She like! .U.%

*ut it seeme! too far a)a+% es-eciall+ from her mother=s -ers-ecti,e. So ;arris=s !ecision came !o)n to Pit9er%

)hich offere! her nearl+ a full scholarshi-% an! U..L.A. In the en!% a #%''' scholarshi- from Ta+lor=s "rou-% acam-us ,isit 4fli"ht courtes+ of South)est5 an! a -hone call from U..L.A.=s !irector of financial ai! : acom*ination of official recruitin" an! outsource! recruitin" : -ulle! her to)ar! U..L.A. FThe *i""est thin" )asseein" so man+ *eautiful% intellectual *lack +oun" stu!ents% *ein" cool an! ha,in" !iscussions a*out calculus%she sai!. FIt )as so -ure. I )as so im-resse!. It )as ama9in".

;arris=s -arents an! her *iolo"ical father all atten!e! her hi"h2school "ra!uation. In late Oul+% her -arents !ro,eher to Los An"eles so she coul! atten! a si/2)eek ,oluntar+ summer school that is officiall+ o-en to incomin"freshmen of all races *ut is !ominate! *+ *lack an! Latino stu!ents. I sa) ;arris on cam-us in Au"ust% an! shetol! me that she misse! her frien!s from home *ut )as ha--+ to *e a colle"e stu!ent. 8n her first -a-er% in En"lishcom-osition% she "ot a 2-lus% an! on her secon! she "ot an A2minus. She=s thinkin" a*out *ecomin" a -re2me!stu!ent. Ne/t summer% she -lans to "o to Dashin"ton to )ork as an intern )ith the ne) chancellor of the school

s+stem there% 7ichelle Rhee% )hom ;arris met throu"h her hi"h school.

The *i" 0uestion that han"s o,er U..L.A.=s success% of course% is )hether the uni,ersit+ *roke the la). Lookin" atthe num*ers% it=s har! not to conclu!e that race )as a factor in this +ear=s a!missions !ecisions. The a,era"e SATscore for a!mitte! African2American stu!ents fell (H -oints this +ear% to #%J@. $or Asian% Latino an! )hitestu!ents% the a,era"es )ere much more sta*le. FI=m 0uite confi!ent that U.. factors race in% in ,arious )a+s%sai! San!er% the U..L.A. la) -rofessor an! affirmati,e2action critic. FThere is no )a+ to e/-lain the !is-aritiesother)ise. ;e has file! a -u*lic2information re0uest that )oul! allo) him to e/amine the !ata more closel+.

In -articular% U..L.A.=s e/-erience su""ests that some tension *et)een race an! class in the a!missions -rocessma+ *e ine,ita*le. E,en as the num*er of lo)2income *lack freshmen soare! this +ear% the o,erall num*er of lo)2income freshmen fell some)hat. The rise in lo)2income *lack stu!ents )as accom-anie! *+ a fall in lo)2incomeAsian stu!ents : not a !ecline in )ell2off stu!ents. U..L.A. a!ministrators sa+ the+ !on=t full+ un!erstan! )h+.

In a )a+% thou"h% the 0uestion of )hether race )as a factor is itself mis-lace!. Pro-osition &' for*i!s uni,ersitiesto consi!er race% *ut it !oesn=t sto- them from consi!erin" !isa!,anta"e. So )hat if U..L.A. is someho) takin"into account the !isa!,anta"es that *lack stu!ents face *ecause of their raceM Isn=t that le"alM An! isn=t it BustM AsTom Lifka% a U..L.A. assistant ,ice chancellor )ho o,ersees a!missions% sai!% FIt=s the fallac+ of &' that +oucan imme!iatel+ mo,e to a s+stem that !oesn=t take account of race an! that treats e,er+*o!+ fairl+. Lifka sai! he)as confi!ent that U..L.A.=s current s+stem coul! )ithstan! le"al scrutin+.

I aske! these same 0uestions a*out race an! fairness of onnerl+% )ho !oes fa,or -references *ase! onsocioeconomic status 4as !o almost H -ercent of Americans% accor!in" to a &''H Ne) ork Times -oll5. ;is firsto*Bection )as constitutional1 he *elie,es the Su-reme ourt has "i,en colle"es ,er+ narro) instructions on )henan! ho) to consi!er race. e+on! that% he fin!s it har! to ima"ine that colle"es )oul! *e a*le to strike the

a--ro-riate *alance. FI su--ose +ou coul! craft some kin! of s+stem that sa+s% De=re "oin" to ackno)le!"e thatthere has *een an! continues to *e !iscrimination in our societ+%= he sai!. Fut I *elie,e it is almost im-ossi*le to!eci!e on the acce-ta*le ran"e : sa+% from # to #' : to take race into account.

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;e ma+ )ell *e ri"ht. ut it sure seems )orth the effort. Some)hat acci!entall+% U..L.A. a--ears to ha,e "ottenmuch closer to the i!eal ans)er than most American uni,ersities. Unlike those of other elite colle"es% its stu!ent

*o!+ isn=t !ominate! merel+ *+ the *est an! *ri"htest of the u--er mi!!le class. U..L.A. has also fi"ure! outho) to !o a *it *etter *+ the stan!ar! !i,ersit+ *enchmarks than it ha! *een !oin". ?es-ite all the -olitical heatthat still surroun!s the issue in alifornia% its uni,ersities seem to *e -ointin" to a *etter ,ersion of affirmati,eaction : one that uses a little less race an! a lot more class. FDhat )oul! *e nice is if )e coul! craft a socialcom-romise that coul! kee- the *est of the -ro"ram )hile a!mittin" some of its fla)s% sa+s San!er% )ho su--ortsthe i!ea of affirmati,e action% !es-ite his criticisms of the current s+stem. FIt=s )a+ *e+on!% 7en! it% !on=t en!

it.= Let=s fun!amentall+ restructure this an! *e much more a)are of class. If )e !i! that% )e=! *uil! a much *i""erconsensus an! take a lot of )in! out of the sails of Dar! onnerl+. Such a consensus mi"ht sho) us% finall+% ho)to -ut the accom-lishments of a stu!ent like $rances ;arris into the ri"ht -ers-ecti,e.

?a,i! Leonhar!t is an economics columnist for The Ne) ork Times.

<uestions:

#. Dho is cre!ite! )ith creatin" Affirmati,e Action an! )hat !oes he sa+ a*out a -erson<s a*ilit+M

&. Dho is Dar! onnerl+ an! )hat are his ,ie)s on AAM

@. E/-lain )hat re,erse !iscrimination is.3 Then summari9e the main -oints surroun!in" Pro-ostion &'.

(. ?escri*e the series of measures taken that le! u- to $rancis ;arris< entrance to U.. L. A.

H. Dhat are 8*ama<s ,ie)s on Affirmati,e ActionM Das he a -ro!uct of the -olic+M 3

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Education Compend 2014