Soc/EDS 126 Part II: The School in Contemporary Perspective

Topic #5: Structural Reform

RRRT: The purpose of education is to meet the needs of a 21st

Century Nation competing in a global economy” cf Jefferson!

Structural Reform: Redesigning the Profession and Reorganizing Schools

• The Critique (A Nation at Risk--the defining text)• Document written by budiness leaders, higher ed; no

K-12 educators• Assessment of US Education: Found wanting• --ANAR adopts a Combative tone:

– "rising tide of mediocrity" – "committing an act of unthinking educational disarmament"

• Schools blamed for US economic position vis a vis Japan, Germany

• [N.B.: schools blamed, little discussion of changing economic, demographic conditions]

The ANAR Critique: Students

• Evidence: • (1) international

comparisons of students’ performance on standardized tests

• Math & Science Achievement• Netherlands 559• Sweden 555• Norway 536• Switzerland 531• Intl Avg 500• US 471• Lithuania 465• Cyprus 447• So. Africa 352

The ANAR Critique: Students

• (2) Students' lack of knowledge in geography, math etc.

• NB: No historical comparisons

1978 1979 1980 1981

National mean-- all Verbal 429 427 424 424High School Seniors Math 468 467 466 466

California mean--all Verbal 427 428 424 426High School Seniors Math 466 473 472 475

California High School Verbal 400 399 395 397Seniors interested in Math 423 427 422 424Education

Ranking of Education Verbal 26 26 27 27scores among 30 Math 26 27 27 27subject groups

Source: College Entrance Examination Board, 1978-82.

ANAR Critique: Teachers: Poor Quality, Poor Preparation (SAT Scores, grades)

ANAR Critique: Teachers

• Teaching Profession• Low Pay

Average Annual Salaries, 81-82 (Ca. Statewide Survey)

• Engineers: $22,828• Analysts: $20,566• Programmers: $20,288• Social Workers:

$19,809• Teachers: $16,671

ANAR Critique: Teachers

• Teaching Profession:

• Low Status

• Rank Order of Occupational Prestige (US News & World Report, 9/81):

• Scientist 67%• Doctor 62%• Minister 41%• Lawyer 37%• Engineer 34%• Teacher 30%• Athlete 27%• Artist 21%• Businessman 18%• Entertainer 18%• Politician 17%• Journalist 17%• Banker 17%• Skilled Worker 15%• Salesman 6%

The ANAR Critique: Schools of Education

• Low admissions standards ("C" students)• Too much pedagogy, not enough academics

Proposed Solutions:Improve The Profession

• Raise pay (this has happened, but teacher pay is still lower than other professions)

• Raise standards-- entrance exams (CBEST); GPAs• This has happened, BUT: hasn’t really dealt with teachers'

working conditions:– teacher-student ratios– promotion requires leaving teaching for administration– pay: based on seniority, not performance– isolation not even a phone in the room! What about: sabbaticals?

university connections?

More Current Salary Information*

• Attorney $65,472

• Engineer $61,613

• System Analyst $58,529

• Accountant $41,444

• Teacher $37,594

• *American Federation of Teachers, May ‘99

WANTED:

College graduate with academic major (MA degree preferred). Excellent communication and leadership skills required. Challenging opportunity to serve 150 clients daily, developing up to 5 products each day to meet their needs. This diversified job allows employee to exercise typing, clerical, law enforcement, and social work skills between assignments and after hours. Adaptability helpful, since suppliers can not always deliver goods and support services on time. Typical work week: 47 hours. Special nature of work precludes fringe benefits and coffee breaks, but work has many intrinsic rewards. Starting salary $12,769 with a guarantee of $24,000 after only 14 years.

Where Are We Today?

• Is Teaching a "profession?" a "vocation?" "factory work” ?

• The economic language of ANAR deflects attention from the democratic project

• Next “waves” of reform: – (1) the debate over curriculum – (2) the “standards and accountability” reform

efforts

Reasons Why People Choose A Teaching Career

• 1. Desire to work with young children

• 2. Interest in subject to be taught

• 3. Social value of education

• 4. Influence of other teachers

• 5. Long summer vacation

• 6. Family• 7. Job security• 8. Lifetime of self

growth