Urban Education Policy - Essay Example

?Running head: Urban Education Policy Introduction Basically, the Abbott districts are schools mainly found in New Jersey. These are schools that received remedies so as t ensure that students in the respective schools receive public education according to the states constitution of New Jersey. They were originally created in 1985 as a result of the first ruling of Abbott v. Burke. This was a case filled by Education Law Center. According to the ruling, it was asserted that public secondary and primary schools education system in poor or less privileged communities in New Jersey State was substandard constitutionally. It further recommended for equal funding between wealthiest and poor district schools so as to improve quality of education in the state irrespective of social and economic status. The court ordered provision of adequate education to children from these areas through implementation of certain reforms and standard education with parity support. Question 1: How would Anyon, Ravitch, and Tyack and Cuban analyze the limits and possibilities of Abbott at reducing the achievement gaps? Basically, Abbott aimed at reducing achievement gap that exists between children from wealthier districts and those from poorer or less privileged districts. Main argument of Abbott is provision of equal funding for the schools irrespective of economic or social status of the respective schools’ location. Abbott advocates for equal education provision. However, analysts such as Anyon, Ravitech, Cuban and Tyack found out certain limitations that might not effectively allow for effective implementation of the Abbott recommendations and narrowing of the achievement gap between less privileged or poor students and the wealthy or fortunate students in New Jersey State (Abbott and Burke, 1990, p 37). Limits of Abbott reducing achievement gaps Students seek education with an aim of achieving their goals in the long-run after successfully going through the education system. However, due to unavoidable circumstances, not all students achieve as expected. The major cause of achievement gap in New Jersey State is the Socio-economic differentials or gap. Basically, Abbott advocates for equal funding of the education system and availing of important learning materials in all schools in the state. This can be achieved, but cannot adequately assist in closing the achievement gap to a greater extent. According to Anyon (2005, p 73), provision of equal funding and learning materials might not adequately close the existing achievement gap in the state. Furthermore, the author argues that this should be coupled with family support. According to Tyack and Cuban (1995, p 67), family support has a great impact in increasing chances of students achieving success in their education. Furthermore, Cuban and Tyack argue that the basic cause of achievement gap in education is the prevailing poverty levels in the urban areas. Therefore, educational policies ought to address the prevailing poverty levels in the urban areas to effectively close the achievement gap. This is because poverty greatly contributes to underdevelopment of students and minimizes their chances of achieving success in education. In urban setting, there are low-resourced and high-resourced learning institutions. This has led to differentials in cost of learning depending on the available resources in respective schools or learning institutions (Tyack and Cuban, 1995, p 92). Less privileged students may easily afford low-resourced institutions leading to the achievement gap. Furthermore, family income also assists in shaping behavior of individual student and attitude towards life and achievement. Privileged students’ perceptions are most likely to be positive leading to positive behavior in school too. This increases their achievement chances as opposed to those from less privileged families who have negative attitude leading to less chances of succeeding in studies. The author also argues that changes ought to be made in several areas for the recommendations to be effective and assist in closing the achievement gap. They include; federal policies, metropolitan practice and policy, and poverty issues (Anyon, 2005, p 67). According to Ravitech, achievement gap may not be adequately reduced due to several other reasons. For instance, recommendations by Abbott should have considered the national budget and the prevailing economic conditions. This is because funding on different sectors of the economy is considered by the prevailing economic situation. The author further argues that recommendations by Abbott may not be effectively implemented due to the prevailing education curricula in the state. The first step to improvement of quality education and addressing the existing achievement gap in education is only possible if the existing educational curriculum is also reviewed. Equal funding of the learning institutions or schools may not greatly address the existing achievement gap in the state. Additionally, Tyack argues that achievement of students depends on personal drive; therefore, reducing of the achievement gap depends on the efforts of individual students and not provision of resources. This is because despite other students accessing adequate resources, they have not achieved their goals as expected (Ravitch, 2000, p 59). Possibility of Abbott reducing achievement gaps Abbott advocates for reduction of the existing achievement gap in education in the state. There are limits to Abbott’s decision; however, there is possibility of Abbott reducing the gap too. For instance, decision to increase construction funding. This might ensure that the Abbott district schools have adequate resources that are building hence provide conducive learning environment for the students. This might aid in boosting their performance and hence reduce the achievement gap. Secondly, decision to increase funding for the Abbott district school and equal those of other schools. This will ensure that the Abbott schools have adequate funds hence increase their ability to acquire important learning resources. Quality of education is basically increased by the availability of quality learning resources. This could increase obtaining of quality learning resources and hence increase achievement chances of the respective students. This ensures that the achievement gap is reduced because students are provided with equal and fair learning conditions (Abbott and Burke, 1990, p 53). Abbot decisions were based on the constitutional requirement. It stated that legislature has the responsibility of ensuring that children between five and eighteen years in the state receive free education. This could assist in reducing the achievement gap. This is because this is the education age and most children from the Abbott district are not able to access education due to financial constraint. However, this decision increases chances of children accessing education hence increasing chances of reducing achievement gaps because all children have access to education (Abbott and Burke, 1990, p 105). Question 2: What are the limits and possibilities of the reform discussed in the book (Zavadsky, H. (2009)? Bringing School Reform to Scale: Five Award Winning Urban Districts. Harvard Education Press. 978-1-934742-40-2) in reducing the achievement gap?  Does it provide a more successful approach to improving urban schools and/or districts? The book by Zavadsky reviews five schools in different districts that have greatly achieved success in reducing achievement gaps. This is derived from the practice of the schools that have increased achievement of both the poor and wealthier students in those districts. Basically, these schools, Garden Groove Unified District School, Long Beach Unified School District, Boston Public Schools, Aldine Independent School District and Norfolk Public Schools have been honored for their improvement in performance and reduction of achievement gaps among minority and poor students. The book describes the long path that these schools have taken towards these achievements (Zavadsky, 2009, p 68). Possibilities of the reforms discussed in reducing achievement gaps Reforms discussed in this book were the strategies applied by the award winning schools in improving general performance of students in the schools and reducing achievement gaps among the minorities and the poor students. These schools basically applied several strategies in improving general performance of students while reducing achievement gaps among the minorities and poor students. There are several possibilities that the strategies may reduce achievement gaps. For instance, professional development program increases students’ awareness and make them realize their strengths hence choose the best suitable field of career. Secondly, assessment greatly improves students’ performance and participation of teachers. This provides equal opportunity for all students to achieve. It also enables the teachers to realize weak areas of their students and recommend appropriate improvements that need to be made. Furthermore, effective selection of staff, leadership, analysis and capacity building among others as discussed in the book greatly contributes in reducing achievement gaps. These are more realistic strategies in improving schools in urban areas. This is because they are measurable (Zavadsky, 2009, p 74). Limits of reforms discussed in reducing achievement gaps The reforms discussed in this book by the author are effective and may assist in reducing achievement gap. However, there are limits to the reforms in reducing achievement gaps. For instance, the reforms require willingness and incentive by the relevant authority especially teachers and the legal education body in implementation of these reforms. For instance alignment of assessment, instruction and curriculum and development of professions requires coordination of the teaching staff, education governing bodies and the students in general. However, they cannot be imposed since it calls for personal incentive and motivation. This might hinder implementation of the reforms if the respective parties are not willing. Furthermore, the reforms require adequate finances which might not be available hence hinder their implementation. For instance, establishment of instructional practices and programs require finances for implementation (Zavadsky, 2009, p 109). References Abbott, R and Burke, F. (1990). Abbott v. Burke. New Jersey: Commerce Clearing House. Anyon, J. (2005). What “Counts” as Educational Policy? Notes toward a new paradigm. Harvard Educational Preview, 75(1), 65-88. Ravitch, D. (2000). Left Back: A century of battles over school reform. Retrieved from: http://www.wpunj.edu/radteach/ Tyack, D and Cuban, L. (1995). Tinkering toward utopia: a century of public school reform. New Jersey: Harvard University Press. Zavadsky, H. (2009). Bringing school reform to scale: five award-winning urban district. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard Education Press. Read More