How schools really matter why our assumption about schools and inequality is mostly wrong / Douglas B. Downey.
| Author/creator | Downey, Douglas B. |
| Format | Electronic |
| Publication Info | Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2020. |
| Description | 165 pages ; 23 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Full text available from eBooks on EBSCOhost |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Why we shouldn't be blaming schools so much. The forgotten 87 percent. Herbert Walberg's outrageous claim ; Trying to understand how schools matter when you have an eight-hundred-pound gorilla problem -- Chickens, eggs, and achievement gaps. When do achievement gaps emerge? ; Scaling matters ; Why the early years are so important ; Relative deprivation matters too -- One very surprising pattern about schools. Soccer coaches and schools ; Trying to understand how schools matter ; Seasonal comparisons ; What do we learn from the few studies that have collected data seasonally? -- And now a second, even more surprising pattern. School achievement, growth, and impact ; Objections -- A new way to think about schools and inequality. More like reflectors than generators. Schools generating inequality ; Two examples of schools reflecting broader society ; What about those high-flying schools? ; Underestimating early childhood -- Conclusion: A diminished role for schools, an enhanced role for early childhood -- As helping more than hurting. Schools as compensatory: The weak form ; Schools as compensatory: The strong form -- A Frida Sofia problem. Schools and inequality: Stuck within the traditional framing ; Our value for limited government ; Fear of "blaming the victim" ; Gender and the vulnerability of schools -- The costly assumption. Rich guys trying to reduce achievement gaps ; The never-ending quest to reform schools ; The great distractor ; So what should we do? |
| Abstract | "School is supposed to be the great equalizer in America, though we know it often doesn't work as it should. In fact, when it comes to understanding schools and inequality, especially in K-12 schools, the more common view is that American schools actually increase inequality. This assumption has become such a strongly held belief in our society that our schools (especially poor ones) have become a punching bag for political candidates, pundits, and concerned citizens. In this book, Douglas B. Downey puts these widespread ideas to the test, finding that the numbers offer an important corrective to our understanding of schools' effects on inequality. Schools do not exacerbate inequality, Downey shows-they actually help to level the playing field. Achievement gaps in math and reading skills are mostly formed prior to kindergarten entry, and schools do more to reduce them than increase them. We spend so much time and energy trying to reduce inequality via school reform, but it clearly starts too late, after most of the "action" has already occurred; the real sources of inequality are elsewhere. Downey's book is an essential call to action: if we are serious about building a more just society, we are going to have to fight some battles bigger than school reform and get at the roots of inequality once and for all"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Access restriction | Available only to authorized users. |
| Technical details | Mode of access: World Wide Web |
| Genre/form | Electronic books. |
| LCCN | 2020007858 |
| ISBN | 9780226733197 (cloth) |
| ISBN | 9780226733227 (paperback) |
| ISBN | (ebook) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Resources | Access Content Online | ✔ Available |