Losing America's Schools

The Fight to Reclaim Public Education

By (author) Nancy E. Bailey

Publication date:

20 June 2016

Length of book:

184 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781475828610

Losing America’s Schools: The Fight to Reclaim Public Education is a call to save one of the last great democratic institutions in America. Corporatization, charter schools, misleading claims of skill gaps, the loss of Separation of Church and State, deprofessionalization, and the over–use of technology all threaten the existence of the schools that belong to all Americans. This book addresses the problems surrounding those issues, and is a tribute to the groups and individuals who are fighting draconian reforms in order to save our public schools. It is the sequel to Misguided Education Reform: Debating the Impact on Students.

Dedication
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction

Chapter 1 Corporate Takeover
School Privatization
New American Schools
Edison Schools
The Sandia Report
The Business Roundtable
Venture Philanthropy
Walton Family Foundation
Broad Foundation
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
High-Stakes Testing
Common Core State Standards
Teachers Unions
American Legislative Exchange Council
Conclusion: America’s Schools

Chapter 2 Replacing Public Schools with Charter Schools
Lost Opportunity
Non-Profit/For-Profit
Charters v. Public Schools
Segregation
Special Education
KIPP
Conclusion: The End of Charter Schools

Chapter 3 Students, Jobs and the Global Economy
Scapegoats
Standards
College for All
Privatized High School Programs
STEM
Vocational—Career and Technical Education
Dropouts
The Military
Conclusion: Careers

Chapter 4 Religion’s Threat to Public Schools
Horace Mann
Churches
Charter Schools
Vouchers
Character Education
Conclusion: Separation of Church and State

Chapter 5 Vanishing Professions—Teachers and School Leaders
Deprofessionalization
Teach for America
The New Teacher Project
Colleges of Education
Teacher Certification
National Council on Teacher Quality
New Leaders
Superintendents and School Leaders
Michelle Rhee
Secretary of Education
Conclusion: Educators

Chapter 6 Virtual v. Brick and Mortar Public Schools
Disruption
Online Schools
Privatizing Online Schools
K12 Inc.
School of the Future
Rocketship
Student Privacy
Competency-Based Education
Conclusion: Real Schools and Teachers

Conclusion
References
About the author

Nancy Bailey’s Losing America’s Schools: The Fight to Reclaim Public Education reveals the shenanigans used by those who are busy turning public education into just another commodity. In a very well-researched and documented display of wisdom, Bailey offers a detailed look at school privatization from Reagan to current-day venture capitalists. I have learned a lot from Dr. Bailey. Her honesty shines on every page. This book is a must-read for parents, teachers, community leaders, politicians, and scholars.