EDUC 2088/3088: Urban Education Reform
WWPH 4119
Spring 2016
Tuesdays, 1:00-3:40PM
Lori Delale-O’Connor, Ph.D.
Email:
Office Hours:By appointment, WWPH 4118
The syllabus is a living document. I reserve the right to change the class syllabus to meet class needs.
Course Description
Thiscourseisdesignedtoprovidebothabackgroundunderstandingofurbaneducation,as wellasexposestudentstoparticularreformsinurbaneducation. Studentswillexamineselectedcontemporaryreformeffortsineducation,inparticularstudyingthetheoriesofchange,implementationchallengesandcritiquesassociatedwiththesedifferentreformsandreformmovementsastheyapplytourbandistrictsandschools. Wewilllookatthetheoreticalunderpinningsofparticularreforms,aswellaswhyeducationpolicieshavesucceededorfailed,andtheconsequencesoftheseoutcomes.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to view urban education through a multidisciplinary lens and understand the ways that broader social, cultural, historical, political, and economic forces have shaped their development and current structure and function. Through this course, students will develop a working knowledge of key concepts and theoretical frameworks in the field of urban education. Students will further be able to analyze and reflect critically on both prior and current educational reform initiatives as connected to their impact on urban schools and the students, teachers, and families connected to them.
Course Policies
Attendance—Attendance and punctuality are basic requirements for an effective discussion and success in this course. Beyond that, each person's frequency and quality of contribution to the class discussion will be assessed and reflected in the class participation score. If you cannot attend a class it is your responsibility to inform me as soon as you are able, in advance of your absence if possible.
Email and Laptops—Please check your email regularly—BUT not during class. While students are encouraged to bring in laptop computers to type notes, you are expected to be engaged in class throughout each session.
Written Assignments—All written assignments should be typed, double-spaced in Times New Roman, 12-point font, one-inch margins, and should follow the guidelines of the APA Publication Manual, Sixth Edition.
Cell Phones—Please turn cell phones to silent during class time.
University of Pittsburgh Policies and Regulations
Americans with Disabilities Act: If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and Disability Resources and Services (DRS), 216 William Pitt Union, (412) 648-7890 or (412) 383-7355 (TTY), as early as possible in the term. DRS will verify your disability and determine reasonable accommodations for this course.
Nondiscrimination: The University of Pittsburgh prohibits and will not engage in discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, disability, or status as a disabled veteran.
Academic Integrity: Students in this course are expected to comply with the University of Pittsburgh Policy on Academic Integrity. Any student(s) suspected of violating this obligation for any reason during the course will be required to participate in the procedural process, initiated at the instructor level, as outlined in the University Guidelines on Academic Integrity.
Statement On Classroom Recording
To ensure the free and open discussion of ideas, students may not record classroom lectures, discussion and/or activities without the advance written permission of the instructor, and any such recording properly approved in advance can be used solely for the student’s own private use.
Course Readings
Course Books
Lipman, P. (2011). The new political economy of urban education: Neoliberalism, race, and the right to the city. New York: Routledge. (Available on Amazon)
Payne, C. M. (2008).So much reform, so little change. Harvard Education Press. (Available on Amazon)
Tyack, D. B., & Cuban, L. (1995). Tinkering toward utopia. Harvard University Press. (Available online at Pitt Cat+)
Course Articles
Course Articles—All articles are available through Courseweb().
Artiles, A. (2003). Special education's changing identity: Paradoxes and dilemmas in views of culture and space. Harvard educational review, 73(2), 164-202.
Berends, M. (2015). Sociology and School Choice: What We Know After Two Decades of Charter Schools. Annual Review of Sociology, (0).
Blaise, J. G. (2015). The Effects of High-Stakes Accountability Measures on Students With Limited English Proficiency. Urban Education
Blanchett, W. J., Mumford, V., & Beachum, F. (2005). Urban school failure and disproportionality in a post-Brown era benign neglect of the constitutional rights of students of color. Remedial and Special Education, 26(2), 70-81.
Cooper, R., & Jordan, W. J. (2003). Cultural issues in comprehensive school reform. Urban Education, 38(4), 380-397.
Darby, D., & Saatcioglu, A. (2015). Race, inequality of opportunity, and school choice. Theory and Research in Education, 13(1), 56-86.
Desimone, L. (2002). How can comprehensive school reform models be successfully implemented?. Review of Educational Research, 72(3), 433-479.
Datnow, A. (2005). The sustainability of comprehensive school reform models in changing district and state contexts. Educational administration quarterly, 41(1), 121-153.
Echevarria, J., Short, D., & Powers, K. (2006). School reform and standards-based education: A model for English-language learners. The Journal of Educational Research, 99(4), 195-21
Goertz, M., & Duffy, M. (2003). Mapping the landscape of high-stakes testing and accountability programs. Theory into practice, 42(1), 4-11.
Green, T. L. (2015). Places of inequality, places of possibility: Mapping “opportunity in
geography” across urban school communities. The Urban Review, 47, 717-741.
Green, T. L., & Gooden, M. A. (2014). Transforming Out-of-School Challenges Into Opportunities Community Schools Reform in the Urban Midwest. Urban Education, 49(8), 930-954.
Heilig, J. V., & Jez, S. J. (2014). Teach For America: A return to theevidence. Boulder, CO:
National Education Policy Center.
Hopson, R. (2014). Why Are Studies of Neighborhoods and Communities Central to
Education Policy and Reform?. Urban Education, 49(8), 992-995.
Horsford, S. D., & Sampson, C. (2014). Promise Neighborhoods The Promise and Politics
of Community Capacity Building as Urban SchoolReform. Urban Education, 49(8), 955-
991
Jacob, B. A. (2007). The challenges of staffing urban schools with effective
teachers. The Future of Children, 17(1), 129-153
Kozol, J. (2005). Still separate, still unequal. Harper's Magazine, 9, 41-55.
Ladson-Billings, G. (2004). Landing on the wrong note: The price we paid for Brown. Educational Researcher, 3-13.
Lipman, P. (2002). Making the global city, making inequality: The political economy and cultural politics of Chicago school policy. American Educational Research Journal, 39(2), 379-419.
Mehta, J. (2013). From Bureaucracy to Profession: Remaking the Educational Sector for the Twenty-First Century. Harvard Educational Review, 83(3), 463-488.
Milner, H. R. (2012). But what is urban education?. Urban Education, 47(3), 556-561.
Mora, J. K. (2002). Caught in a policy web: The impact of education reform on Latino education. Journal of Latinos and Education, 1(1), 29-44.
Morris, J. E. (2004). Can anything good come from Nazareth? Race, class, and African American schooling and community in the urban south and midwest. American Educational Research Journal, 41(1), 69-112.
Newman, K. (2009). Teacher training, tailor-made. Education Next, 9(2).
O’Connor, C., & Fernandez, S. D. (2006). Race, class, and disproportionality: Reevaluating the relationship between poverty and special education placement. Educational Researcher, 35(6), 6-11.
Orfield, G. and Chungmei, L. (2005.) “Why Segregation Matters: Poverty and Educational Inequality.” (pp 1-17).
Ovando, C. J. (2003). Bilingual education in the United States: Historical development and current issues. Bilingual Research Journal, 27(1), 1-24.
Paige, R. (2006). No Child Left Behind: The ongoing movement for public education reform. Harvard Educational Review, 76(4), 461-473
Podgursky, M. J., & Springer, M. G. (2007). Teacher performance pay: A review. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 26(4), 909.
Rodriguez, A. J. (2001). From gap gazing to promising cases: Moving toward equity in urban education reform. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 38(10), 1115-1129.
Silva, T., McKie, A., Knechtel, V., Gleason, P., & Makowsky, L. (2014). Teaching Residency Programs: A Multisite Look at a New Model to Prepare Teachers for High-Need Schools. NCEE 2015-4002. National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance
Skiba, R. J., Simmons, A. B., Ritter, S., Gibb, A. C., Rausch, M. K., Cuadrado, J., & Chung, C. G. (2008). Achieving equity in special education: History, status, and current challenges. Exceptional Children, 74(3), 264-288.
Snipes, J., Doolittle, F., & Herlihy, C. (2002). Foundations for Success: Case Studies of How Urban School Systems Improve Student Achievement.
Stringfield, S. C., & Yakimowski-Srebnick, M. E. (2005). Promise, progress, problems, and paradoxes of three phases of accountability: A longitudinal case study of the Baltimore City public schools. American Educational Research Journal, 42(1), 43-75.
Supovitz, J. (2009). Can high stakes testing leverage educational improvement? Prospects from the last decade of testing and accountability reform. Journal of Educational Change, 10(2-3), 211-227.
Teske,P.,Schneider,M.(2001).Whatresearchcantellpolicymakersaboutschoolchoice. JournalofPolicyAnalysisandManagement,20,609-631.
Course Assignments
Review/Referee Report (15%)
Due: In class February 9, 2016
For this course you are expected to write a review/referee report. A referee report is a critical review of a paper, typically at the request of a journal or book volume editor. This is an important type of writing in the academic world, and it is useful to understand (and practice!) how to complete one successfully. This assignment will use an assigned outside article/working paper and materials from the course. Although the paper is not meant to be a research paper, I encourage you to draw from other courses you have taken, as well as additional research and reading to make your review comprehensive and useful. The referee report should be approximately 3 to 5 double-spaced pages.
We will discuss this paper more in class, and review some referee reports, however it is helpful to have a general understanding of what a report like this should contain. Although journals editors will send specific instructions and questions to act as guidelines for your review, referee reports typically begin with an overview of the article’s main point and situate the article in its theoretical and/or topical. The rest of the report should be a critical analysis or the paper. Depending on the paper, this may include addressing questions such as: Does the paper achieve its stated purpose/goal? Is it well situated within the literature? Does the paper address the relevant and recent literature within the field or topic? How well does the paper use the stated methods and or/theory? Is the paper comprehensible? What do you as the reviewer suggest that the author(s) do to correct errors/omissions/etc. that you have found?
District Report(20%)
Due: In class, Tuesday, March 22
For this course, you will complete a paper that examines reform in a particular urban district. The district must serve a large, diverse population of students (diversesuggests ethnic, racial, linguistic, and cultural plurality amongst the students and families living inthat particular city). You will provide an overview of the district, the reform(s) you are examining and how this district implemented them, the political and social context of the reform; differences in implementation (if any) across schools, and a critical assessment of the implementation and outcomes of this. The critical assessment should touch explicitly on the discussion topics in Part 1 and Part 2 of the course. Papers should be approximately 10 pages double-spaced (12-point font with 1-inch margins), excluding references.
Lead Class(15%)
Due: Varies by individual
During this course, you will lead the first part of one class session. During these 30-40 minutes, you will review and synthesize the topic and some of the readings for the session, as well as lead the class in discussion. While you are expected to cover the material, you can take “creative license” with how you present. Feel free to use video clips (think documentary segments, YouTube clips, etc.), games or other strategies to engage your classmates. You may provide a handout or other materials to guide your instructional time, but it is not necessary.
Final Paper *(25%)
Due: Monday, May 2 by 3:00 PM
This assignment will vary by student, but this paper should connect the readings and understanding gained in class with a topic that is meaningful to your current work/research. All students are expected to meet with me by February 23rd to discuss potential topics, format and product for this assignment. The final product should be the equivalent of a 25-30 page paper.
Presentation of Final Paper (15%)
Due: In class April 26, 2016
During our final class meeting, you will conduct a 20 minute presentation and discussion of your final paper. Be prepared to provide an overview of the education reform around which your project centers, connect this to the course readings (and other relevant readings on which the class may need background) and pose/respond to questions for discussion.
Class Participation(10%) For class participation you will be evaluated on the following:
- Are you in class and on time?
- Do you attend class regularly?
- Do you respond and contribute to class discussions and to activities drawing from the readings?
- Is it evident that you have completed the readings?
Grading
- Review/Referee Report—15%
- District Report—20%
- Lead Class—15%
- Final Paper—25%
- Final Presentation—15%
- Class Participation and Attendance—10%
Course Schedule
Part 1: Setting the stage and understanding the context
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Class Session 1:Defining “urban education”
Discussion: What is the meaning of “urban education”? How do we define urban?Why does the definition matter? What are the connections and difference between urban and other types of education (suburban, rural)?
Read—Milner, 2012
Jacob, 2007
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Class Session 2: Historical view of urban education
Discussion: What are the purposes of schooling and the role of education, particularly in urban schools? How did we get to the current state of urban education in the U.S.?
Read—Tyack Cuban,1995
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Class Session 3: The current urban education landscape inside and outside of schools
Current purposes of education/motivators
Discussion:What do urban schools look like today? How does perception compare to reality? What are the structural, social, and cultural factors that shape urban schools?
Read—Morris, 2004
Green, 2015
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Class Session 4:Neoliberalism and reform
Discussion:What is “neoliberalism”? How does neoliberalism connect to current reforms in urban education?
Read—Lipman, 2011
Part 2: Situating reform in structural, social and cultural aspects of society
Tuesday, February 9, 2016—REFEREE REPORT DUE IN CLASS
Class Session 5:Race and reform
Discussion:What is the salience of race (historically and contemporarily) in education reform? What are some specifically race-focused reform efforts and how did/do they connect with and influence other reform initiatives?
Read—Kozol, 2005
Ladson-Billings, 2004
Lipman, 2002
Orfield and Lee, 2005
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Class Session 6:Bilingual and immigrant education
Discussion:What is the salience of language difference and immigration status (historically and contemporarily) in education reform? What are some specifically language- and immigration-focused reform efforts and how did/do they connect with and influence other reform initiatives?
Read—Blaise, 2015
Echevarria, Short & Powers, 2006
Mora, 2002
Ovando, 2003
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Class Session 7: Special education
Discussion:What is the salience of special education (historically and contemporarily) in education reform? What are some special education-focused reform efforts and how did/do they connect with and influence other reform initiatives?
Read—Artiles, 2003
O’Connor & Fernandez, 2006
Skiba, Simmons, Ritter, Gibb, Rausch, Cuadrado, & Chung, 2008
Part 3: Analyzing specific reforms
We will look at some specific reforms, how they vary in implementation, how they are situated in the reform “landscape,” and how they connect to Part 1 and Part 2 of the course.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Class Session 8:School choice
Read—Darby & Saatcioglu, 2015
Berends, 2015
Teske &Schneider,2001
Tuesday, March 8, NO CLASS Spring break
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Class Session 9: NCLB—high stakes testing and comprehensive school reform
Read—Supovitz, 2009
Paige, 2006
Desimone, 2002
Datnow, 2005
Cooper & Jordan, 2003
Goertz & Duffy, 2003
Tuesday, March 22, 2016—DISTRICT ANALYSIS PAPER DUE IN CLASS
Class Session 10: Teaching as reform: Alternative routes to teaching, teacher residency, merit pay
Read—Newman, 2009
Heilig & Jez, 2014
Podgursky & Springer, 2007
SKIM Silva, McKie, Knechtel, Gleason & Makowsky, 2014
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Class Session 11:From the bottom up? Community-Based Education Reform
Read—Green & Gooden, 2014
Horsford & Sampson, 2014
Hopson, 2014
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Class Session 12: Casestudiesof reform and success
Read—Stringfield & Yakimowski-Srebnick, 2005
Rodriguez, 2001
CAREFUL SKIMSnipes, Doolittle & Herlihy, 2002
Tuesday, April 12—No Class
American Educational Research Association annual meeting
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Class Session13:Bringing it all together—Why is education reform so challenging?
Read—Payne, 2008
Mehta, 2013
Tuesday, April 26, 2016—PRESENTATION OF FINAL PAPER DUE
Class Session 14: Student Presentations
Final Paper Due: Monday, May 2 by 3:00 PM
Hard copy to Center for Urban Education
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