POLSC3210 - 01 - The Politics of Education Policy: Developing Agency

(SJ)Social Justice

Education is a fundamental tenet of American society. In fact, the right to a sound education is enshrined in many state constitutions. Yet, debate over how best to affect a quality and effective educational system has pervaded American politics and society since the country's founding. This debate has involved the equitable funding and distribution of resources, assessment, issues of race, gender, and socioeconomic class, teaching standards and qualifications, and curriculum on the K-12 level, as well as in colleges and universities. This course explores the debate surrounding educational policy in the American political system. Politics is often about conflict over values and resources. Education policy embodies this conflict quite clearly. We will assess the social, cultural, and political factors influencing the crafting, implementation, and assessment of education policy in the United States.