Government Responses to Educational Inequalities

Govt. Response-Educational Inequality

No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) 2001:

Overview:

• Initiation: Enacted during the presidency of George W. Bush, the NCLB Act aimed to establish specific educational standards for schools to qualify for federal funding.
• State Autonomy: States were responsible for setting their standards to meet the federal criteria.

Debated Success:

• Supporter Claims:
  • Reading and math scores purportedly experienced significant improvement, with advocates highlighting record highs for African-American and Hispanic children.
  • Alleged reduction in the achievement gap between minority groups and white children.
• Criticisms:
  • Critics argued that the use of state-determined tests facilitated result manipulation to retain funding.
  • Concerns about a narrowed curriculum as resources were disproportionately directed towards reading and math.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 2015:

• Successor to NCLB: ESSA replaced the NCLB Act in December 2014, aiming to offer equitable and high-quality education to all children while addressing achievement gaps.
• The shift in Oversight: Addressed Republican concerns about excessive Department of Education control, intending to restore more authority to individual states.

Critiques: Anticipated Impact:

• Critics expressed scepticism, contending that the transition to ESSA might bring minimal changes.

---

Government Responses to Educational Inequalities

Discipline Issues:

• Disproportionate rates of school exclusion, particularly among African Americans, contribute to a more challenging learning environment.

Key Considerations:

• Japanese and Korean Americans, with a cultural emphasis on education and higher family incomes, tend to perform better.
• Addressing educational inequality involves tackling teacher quality, resource shortages, and discipline issues.
• Disparities in educational outcomes highlight broader challenges in the US education system, requiring targeted interventions.