Full Description
Public schools have been placed in a straitjacket over the past 30 years through over-regulation as a result of the growing power of the federal government over public education, expanding court decisions, state government legislation, school board policies and procedures, and the media's influence on public opinion.
The straitjacket of centralized control and coercive approaches to the problems that public education is facing is not the solution, but actually is part of the problem. And where achievement is lower than desired this book brings attention to the root cause - lack of student preparation so that more resources can be put into catching these kids up, rather than into more tests, more curriculum development, and more administrative staff needed to comply with all of this complexity and growing regulations.
We must break out of our straitjacket and give schools more flexibility in finding creative and innovative ways to address the needs of students, changing times, and professional expectations — not shackle them through regulatory mandates, closed thinking, and defective accountability processes.
Contents
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1. Straitjacket
Chapter 2. The Context for Schools and the Expanding Federal Role
Chapter 3. The Narrowing Corridor - Why Deregulate?
Chapter 4. The Growing Impact of Regulation on Public Schools
Chapter 5. The Truth About Achievement and the Preparation Gap
Chapter 6. Context, Complexity, and 'Complicatedness'
Chapter 7. Unshackling Creativity and Innovation
Chapter 8. Culture Matters
Chapter 9. So What Does This All Mean?
Chapter 10. Eight Rules To Guide Real Reform of American Public Education
Appendix A. Mandates
Appendix B. Fast Facts
