PSCI317

This course will analyze both the politics and the policy of schooling in the United States. On the political side, we will explore the debate over the purposes of public education and the use of education as an electoral issue, as well as the individuals, groups, and institutions that compete to control schools, and how and where they seek to advance their different interests and values. On the policy side, we will analyze the impact of democratic control, federalism, and checks and balances on the provision of education in the U.S. and how and why school governance has evolved over time. The course will also examine the debates over specific school reforms such as: standards and testing, equalization of school finance, school choice, and the No Child Left Behind Act, as well as the unique challenges facing urban schools.Offered annually.