11.05.18 v14 The Politics of American Education

Fall 2018

GOV-1368 (FAS)

Instructor: Paul E. Peterson, Henry Lee Shattuck Professor of Government Harvard Kennedy School, Taubman, Room 306 617-495-8312 ▪ 617-496-4428 (fax) [email protected] Office hours: Wednesdays, 2:00pm – 3:00pm Harvard Kennedy School, Taubman, Room 306 *to make an appointment please contact Antonio Wendland at [email protected] or 617-495-7976

Academic Visitors: Richard Barth, CEO, KIPP Public Schools Honorable , Justice, Supreme Court Albert Carvahlo, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools Hanna Skandera, Former Secretary of Education, New Mexico; Editor-in-Chief of The Line

Class Meetings: Tuesday and Thursday, 10:30am – 11:45pm Class Location: CGIS Knafel 354, 1737 Cambridge Street Sections: Sections will be created after the course begins. Times and locations of section meetings will be based on enrollment.

FAS Course Website (CW): https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/43352

Requirements: 1. Short in-class quizzes covering assigned material for the day and class participation 20% 2. Policy Memo 30% 3. Midterm Examination 20% 4. Final Examination 30%

About this Course This course seeks to answer the following question: How did a school system, once the envy of the world, stumble so that the performance in math, science, and reading of U.S. students at age 15 fell below that of students in a majority of the world’s industrialized nations? Exploring that question, we identify historical forces—the origins, the progressives, racial desegregation, legalization and collective bargaining—that shaped and re-shaped U.S. school politics and policy. Then, we seek answers to a second question: What are the best ways of lifting the performance of American schools to a higher level? To explore these questions, we look at ideas and proposals of those who want to save our schools—be it by reforming the teaching profession, holding schools accountable, giving families more school choices, or via digital learning. Several practitioners will participate in class discussions throughout the course.

1 2 GOV-1368 Fall 2018 11.05.18 v14 Teaching Fellows: Gabrielle Malina Dany Shakeel Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Office Hours: TBD Office Hours: TBD

Section Meetings: TBD

Reading and Other Course Material Availability:

Available for purchase at the Harvard Coop and on reserve at Lamont: Paul E. Peterson, Saving Schools: From Horace Mann to Virtual Learning. Harvard University Press, 2010.

VIDEOS: For most class periods, students are expected to watch the assigned video lecture presentations of the material assigned for that class period. Videos are to be viewed

BEFORE class. Links will be available on the FAS course website. Access all the videos via Canvas (Files/Lecture Video Links) or via the YouTube links below: https://canvas.harvard.edu/courses/30540

All OTHER REQUIRED READINGS that are available online are linked in the syllabus to their electronic version (some require PIN login to the Harvard Library System). For those readings that are not available online, please download a copy from the course’s website (CW) listed above.

To facilitate class discussion, computers are not to be opened during class, except by permission. You are encouraged to consult with your classmates on the choice of paper topics and to share sources. Standard citation practices must properly cite any books, articles, websites, lectures, etc. that have helped you in your work. You should ensure that written work is the result of your own research and writing.

Collaboration Prohibited except when expressly authorized Students should be aware that in this course, with the exception of group assignments or projects, collaboration of any sort on any work submitted for formal evaluation is not permitted. This means that you may not discuss your problem sets, paper assignments, exams, or any other assignments with other students. All work should be entirely your own and must use appropriate citation practices to acknowledge the use of books, articles, websites, lectures, discussions, etc., that you have consulted to complete your assignments. ______

Program on Education Policy and Governance Colloquia Series: Students are invited. A lunch is provided. For more information on the series, please visit: http://www.hks.harvard.edu/pepg/colloquia.htm

3 GOV-1368 Fall 2018 11.05.18 v14 Topics and Readings

September 4 (Tuesday): Introduction: The Challenge Video: The Challenge and Part I on Methods lecture 1. The Challenge – Part 1 (10:07) 2. The Challenge – Part 2 (08:30) 3. The Challenge – Part 3 (13:03) 4. Methodology – Part 1 (11:09)

Required Readings: 1. Eric Hanushek, Paul E. Peterson and Ludger Woessmann, "U.S. Students from Educated Families Lag in International Tests," Education Next 14, No. 4 (Fall 2014): 8-18, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_XIV_4_peterson.pdf

September 6 (Thursday): School Boards and the Progressives Video: School Boards and The Progressives 1. School Boards – Part 1 (13:16) 2. School Boards – Part 2 (06:41) 3. School Boards – Part 3 (16:47) 4. Progressives – Part 3 (11:04)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 21-50. Also, see tables in the Appendix. 2. Chester E. Finn and Lisa Graham Keegan, “Lost at Sea,” Education Next 4, no. 3 (Summer 2004): 15-17, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext20043_15.pdf 3. Sarah C. Glover, “Steering a True Course,” Education Next 4, no. 3 (Summer 2004): 10-13, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_V_3_forum_glover.pdf 4. E.D. Hirsch, Jr., “Romancing the Child,” Education Next 1, vol. 1 (Spring 2001), http://educationnext.org/romancing-the-child/

September 11 (Tuesday): Rosh Hashanah

September 13 (Thursday): State Superintendents and Local Boards Academic visitor: Hanna Skandera, former Secretary of Education, New Mexico; Editor-in-Chief of The Line Required Readings: 1. Michael McShane, “The New Mexico Reform Story,” Education Next 18, no. 2 (Spring 2018): pp. 24-31, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_xviii_2_mcshane.pdf

September 18 (Tuesday): Equity and Adequacy in Expenditure Video: Equity and Adequacy in Expenditure 1. Equity – Part 1 (09:53) 2. Equity – Part 2 (19:14) 3. Equity – Part 3 (08:41) (Required readings found on next page)

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE) 4 GOV-1368 Fall 2018 11.05.18 v14 Required Readings: 2. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 136-154. 2. Matthew G. Springer, James Guthrie, “Courtroom Alchemy,” Education Next 7, vol. 1 (Winter 2007): 20-27: http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_20071_20.pdf 3. Supreme Court Decision: San Antonio School District v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 1 (1973) S.C., https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/411/1/case.html 4. Serrano v. Priest, 18 Cal.3d 728 (1976) (Serrano II);. This is a Supreme Court Ruling. Serrano II: http://law.justia.com/cases/california/cal3d/18/728.html 5. C. Kirabo Jackson, Rucker C. Johnson, Claudia Persico, “Boosting Educational Attainment and Adult Earnings,” Education Next 15, no. 4 (Fall 2015): 69-76 http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_XV_4_jackson.pdf

September 20 (Thursday): The Legal Disputes over Equity and Adequacy Academic Visitor: Clint Bolick, Associate Justice, Arizona Supreme Court

September 25 (Tuesday): Collective Bargaining Video: Collective Bargaining 1. Collective Bargaining – Part 1 (07:56) 2. Collective Bargaining – Part 2 (11:43) 3. Collective Bargaining – Part 3 (05:45)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 105-119, 126-128. 2. Frederick M. Hess and Martin R. West, “Strike Phobia: School Boards Need to Drive a Harder Bargain,” Education Next 6, no. 3 (Summer 2006): 39-48, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext20063_38.pdf . 3. Michael F. Lovenheim, Alexander Willén (2016). “A Bad Bargain,” Education Next 16, no. 1 (Winter 2016): 62-68, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_XVI_1_lovenheim.pdf 4. Christian D’Andrea, “Limits on Collective Bargaining” Education Next 13, vol. 4 (Fall 2013): 36-42, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_XIII_4_DAndrea.pdf 5. Supreme Court Decision: Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31, (2018) S.C. [Exceprts available on CW]

September 27 (Thursday): Teacher Recruitment and Retention Video: Teacher Recruitment and Retention 1. Recruitment – Part 1 (10:16) 2. Recruitment – Part 2 (15:02)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 119-123. 2. Raj Chetty, John N. Friedman, and Jonah E. Rockoff, “Great Teaching.” Education Next 12, no. 3 (Summer 2012): 58-68, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_20123_Friedman.pdf

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE) 5 GOV-1368 Fall 2018 11.05.18 v14 3. Jonah E. Rockoff, Douglas O. Staiger, Thomas J. Kane, “Photo Finish,” Education Next, Winter 7, no. 1 (Winter 2007): 60-67, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_20071_601.pdf

October 2 (Tuesday): Teacher Compensation Video: Teacher Compensation 1. Compensation – Part 1 (04:22) 2. Compensation – Part 2 (06:18) 3. Compensation – Part 3 (08:05)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 123-126, 131-136. 2. Peter Temin, “Low Pay, Low Quality” Education Next 3, no. 3 (Summer 2003): 8-13, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext20033_8.pdf 3. Michael Podgursky, “Fringe Benefits” Education Next 3, no. 3 (Summer 2003): 71- 76, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext20033_71.pdf

October 4 (Thursday): Mid-Term Exam

October 9 (Tuesday): Reforming Teacher Pay Video: Reforming Teacher Pay 1. Alternative Compensation – Part 1 (09:48) 2. Alternative Compensation – Part 2 (11:12) 3. Alternative Compensation – Part 3 (19:44)

Required Readings: 1. *Thomas S. Dee, James Wyckoff, “Incentives, Selection, and Teacher Performance: Evidence from IMPACT,” Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 34, no. 2 (2015): 267-297, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pam.21818/epdf 2. Thomas Toch, “A Policymaker’s Playbook: Transforming Public School Teaching in the Nation’s Capital” FutureEd, June 2018, https://www.future-ed.org/wp- content/uploads/2018/06/APOLICYMAKERSPLAYBOOK.pdf

October 11 (Thursday): Theory Video: School Choice Theory 1. School Choice – Part 1 (09:29) 2. School Choice – Part 2 (10:00) 3. School Choice – Part 3 (11:11)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 190-202. 2. , “The Role of Government in Education” http://www.schoolchoices.org/roo/fried1.htm

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE) 6 GOV-1368 Fall 2018 11.05.18 v14 October 16: (Tuesday): Charter Schools in Practice Video: Charters 1. Charter Schools – Part 1 (10:06) 2. Charter Schools – Part 2 (15:51) 3. Charter Schools – Part 3 (15:31) 4. Charter Schools – Part 4 (17:55) 5. on charter schools (10:22)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, 209-221. 2. Caroline Hoxby, Sonali Murarka, “New York City Charter Schools” Education Next 8, vol. 3 (Summer 2008): 54-61, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_20083_54.pdf 3. Scott Pearson, John H. McKoy, and Neerav Kinglsand, “Forum: How Many Charter Schools is Just Right,” Education Next 15, no. 3 (Summer 2015): 56-62, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_XV_3_forum.pdf 4. Lake et al., “Why is Charter Growth Slowing? Lessons from the Bay Area” Education Next, Vol. 16, No. 3. http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_xviii_3_lake_etal.pdf

October 18 (Thursday): Creating an Effective Teaching Force Academic Visitor: Alberto Carvalho, Superintendent, Miami-Dade County Public Schools

October 23 (Tuesday): School Vouchers Video: School Vouchers 1. School Vouchers – Part 1 (15:10) 2. School Vouchers – Part 2 (09:41) 3. School Vouchers – Part 3 (19:49)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 203-209. 2. David Figlio, Cassandra M.D. Hart, “Does Competition Improve Public Schools? New evidence from the Florida tax-credit scholarship program.” Education Next 11, no. 1 (Winter 2011): 74-80. http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_20111_Figlio.pdf 3. Matthew Chingos, Paul E. Peterson, “School Vouchers Help Low-Income Minority Students Earn a College Degree,” Education Next, January 7, 2015: http://educationnext.org/school-vouchers-help-low-income-minority-students-earn- college-degree/ 4. Patrick J. Wolf, Douglas Harris, Mark Berends, Joseph Waddington, and Megan Austin, “Forum: Taking Stock of Private-School Choice.” Education Next 18, no. 2 (Spring 2018): 46-59: http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_xviii_2_forum.pdf

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE) 7 GOV-1368 Fall 2018 11.05.18 v14 October 25 (Thursday): What Makes for an Effective Charter School? Academic Visitor: Richard Barth, CEO, KIPP Public Schools 1. Jay Mathews, "Work Hard. Be Nice: The Roots and Reality of the Knowledge is Power Program,” Education Next 9, no. 2 (Spring 2009): 28-35, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_20092_28.pdf 2. Robert Pondiscio, “’No Excuses’ Kids Go to College: Will high-flying charters see their low-income students graduate?” Education Next 13, no. 2 (Spring 2013): 8-14, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_XIII_2_pondiscio.pdf

October 30 (Tuesday): School Accountability Video: School Accountability 1. The Federal Role – Part 1 (09:33) 2. School Accountability – Part 1 (15:19) 3. School Accountability – Part 2 (09:46) 4. School Accountability – Part 3 (16:56) 5. Debate after ESSA (14:46)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 87-103, 155-178. 2. Thomas Dee, Brian Jacob, “Evaluating NCLB” Education Next 10, vol. 3 (Summer 2010): 54-61, http://educationnext.org/files/EdNext_20103_54.pdf 3. Scott Levy, Jonah Edelman, “Forum: Making Sense of the Opt-Out Movement,” Education Next 16, vol. 4 (Fall 2016), http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_xvi_4_forum.pdf

November 1 (Thursday): National Standards and the Common Core Video: National Standards and the Common Core 1. Common Core – Part 1 (16:17) 2. Common Core – Part 2 (16:47)

Required Readings: 1. Joanne Weiss and Frederick Hess, “Forum: What Did Race to the Top Accomplish?” Education Next 15, no. 4 (Fall 2015): 50-56, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_XV_4_forum.pdf 2. Paul E. Peterson, “The End of the Bush-Obama Regulatory Approach to School Reform.” Education Next 16, no. 3 (Summer 2016): 22-33, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_XVI_3_peterson_reform.pdf

November 6 (Tuesday): Student Accountability Video: Student Accountability 1. Student Accountability – Part 1 (07:44) 2. Student Accountability – Part 2 (05:21) (required readings on next page)

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE) 8 GOV-1368 Fall 2018 11.05.18 v14 Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 183-190, 178-183. 2. James S. Coleman, “The Adolescent Society,” Education Next 6, no. 1 (Winter 2006): 40-43, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext20061_40.pdf 3. Adam Tyner and Michael Petrilli, “The Case for Holding Students Accountable,” Education Next 18, no. 3 (Summer 2018): 26-33, http://educationnext.org/case-for- holding-students-accountable-how-extrinsic-motivation-gets-kids-work-harder-learn- more

November 8 (Thursday): Legalization Video: Legalization 1. Legalization – Part 1 (07:05) 2. Legalization – Part 2 (07:03) 3. Legalization – Part 3 (17:09)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 79-87. 2. Supreme Court Decision: Tinker v. Des Moines, (1969) S.C. [Excerpts available on CW] 3. Supreme Court Decision: Goss v. Lopez, (1974) S.C. [Excerpts available on CW] 4. R. Shep Melnick, “ Rethinking Federal Regulations on Sexual Harassment: The need for deliberation, not demagoguery, in the Age of Trump”, Education Next, Winter 2018, Vol. 18, No. 1 http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_xviii_1_melnick.pdf

November 13: (Tuesday): Desegregation Video: Desegregation 1. Desegregation – Part 1 (11:45) 2. Desegregation – Part 2 (18:30) 3. Desegregation – Part 3 (10:10)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 51-76. 2. Steven Rivkin and Finis Welch, “Has Racial Desegregation Improved Academic and Economic Outcomes for Blacks?” In Eric Hanushek and Finis Welch, Handbook of the Economics of Education 2 (2006): 1019-1049, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574069206020174 3. Steven Rivkin, “Desegregation since the Coleman Report,” Education Next 16, no. 2 (Spring 2016): 28-37, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_XVI_2_rivkin.pdf 4. Lisa Sanbonmatsu, Jeffrey R. Kling, Greg J. Duncan, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, “New Kids on the Block”, Education Next 7, no. 4 (Fall 2007): http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_20074_60.pdf 5. Stefanie DeLuca, “All Over the Map” Education Next 7, no. 4 (Fall 2007): 28-36, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_20074_28.pdf

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE) 9 GOV-1368 Fall 2018 11.05.18 v14 November 15 (Thursday): Costs and Benefits of Class Size Reduction Video: Class Size Reduction 1. Class Size Reduction – Part 1 (04:32) 2. Class Size Reduction – Part 2 (11:59) 3. Class Size Reduction – Part 3 (09:27)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 128-130. 2. Matthew M. Chingos, Grover J. Whitehurst, “Class Size: What Research Says and What it Means for State Policy,” Brookings (2011), https://www.brookings.edu/wp- content/uploads/2016/06/0511_class_size_whitehurst_chingos.pdf

November 20 (Tuesday): Student presentations

November 22 (Thursday): Thanksgiving—No Class

November 27 (Tuesday): Student Presentations

November 29: (Thursday): Student Presentations

December 4: (Tuesday) Digital Learning Video: Digital Education 1. Digital Education – Part 1 (15:15) 2. Digital Education – Part 2 (19:25) 3. Digital Education – Part 3 (27:07) 4. Digital Education – Part 4 (12:07)

Required Readings: 1. Peterson, Saving Schools, pp. 229-263. 2. Clayton M. Christensen, Michael B. Horn, “How Do We Transform our Schools? Use Technologies that Compete Against Nothing” Education Next 8, no. 3 (Summer 2008): 13-19, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_20083_12.pdf 3. John Chubb, Terry Moe and Larry Cuban, “Virtual Schools” Education Next 9, no. 1 (Winter 2009): 42-52, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_20091_42.pdf 4. Sarah Carr, “Credit Recovery Hits the Mainstream”, Education Next 14, no. 3 (Summer 2014): 30-36, http://educationnext.org/files/ednext_XIV_3_carr.pdf

Final Examination: December 13 at 2:00 PM (duration: 3 hours)

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