Race to the Bottom: Corporate School Reform and the Future of Public Education

by Michael V. McGill

Overview

How did the country that invented the modern public school end up embracing policies that weaken it? What alternatives are there to current corporate reform policies? How can we give America’s children an education that will truly prepare them and our nation for the challenges of tomorrow? In Race to the Bottom, McGill successfully traces the emergence of corporate reform and describes how its tenets run counter to what he believes are the key elements of a high-quality education. McGill draws from a wealth of experience as a school superintendent for over 40 years, including his tenure in Scarsdale during the 2001 district-wide boycott of New York State standardized tests. Showing how strong leaders working with teachers and the community have been able to strengthen schools, the author offers a model of school reform that will prepare students for the 21st century.

“An acute analysis of the failure of corporate school reform, a sobering tale of its damages, and an urgent call for changing course, all from a veteran education leader of the nation's best schools.”
—Yong Zhao, internationally known scholar, author, and speaker

“Into an often toxic, unreasoning, and polarized education debate, Michael McGill introduces a much needed voice of reason, experience, and hope. McGill is a rare combination of experienced day-to-day practitioner of public school teaching and administration, and cogent historical analyst of the American education system. If you're looking for an overview that combines passion for education with an unerring feeling of veracity, this is the place to find it.”
—Nicholas Lemann, Pulitzer-Moore Professor and Dean Emeritus at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780807773703
Publisher:	Teachers College Press
Publication date:	04/06/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	419 KB

About the Author

Michael V. McGill is director of the Program for District Leadership and Reform at Bank Street Graduate School of Education, founder of the Global Learning Alliance, and former superintendent of schools in the Scarsdale Union Free School District.

Table of Contents

1 The State of Education 1

Corporate Reform 1

Alternatives to Corporate Reform 4

Why "The Scarsdales" Matter 6

The Challenge 9

2 A Brief History (1787-2000) 13

Democracy, Equity, Excellence 13

Education as Economic Good, School as Business 14

Educational Reformation: Dewey and Progressivism 15

Counter-Reformation: Hutchins and Traditionalism 17

Revolution 17

Counter-Revolution 20

A Nation at Risk and the Rise of Corporate Education 21

Escaping History 24

3 Test Wars and the Empire Strikes Back (2001) 26

Unlikely Rebels 26

Scarsdale and State Testing 28

The Costs of State Tests 28

Civil Disobedience 30

Scarsdale and Albany 33

Reflections on a Small Rebellion 35

4 The Triumph of Corporate Reform (2001-2014) 38

Contending Agendas 38

The Rise of Corporate Reform 40

"No Child Left Behind" 43

A Parade of Folly 45

The Triumph of Corporate Reform 49

5 Grading Corporate Reform 52

Impact on Teaching 52

Creating Economies 55

Improving Efficiency 56

Competition and Teacher Rankings 57

Competition and Merit Pay 58

Improving Learning 60

Global Competitiveness 62

6 Charter Schooling 65

High Tech High School 66

Business Links 70

Connections 71

Discourse 72

The Emperor of Rigor 73

National Models 73

Lessons from Charter Schools 75

7 Faith in Education 78

What Happened to Faith in Public Education? 80

Why Belief Matters 82

When Belief Ebbs 83

Fostering Belief 86

Belief and Leadership 86

8 Education for Democracy 91

Mission: Eliminating AP 92

Mission and Board Stewardship 95

Mission and Diversity 97

Forging Common Mission 98

Renewing School Mission 100

Education for Democracy 101

Liberal Learning 102

9 The Problem of Teaching 104

Scholar, Artist, Entrepreneur 105

Teacher as Professional 107

The Profession Today 108

The Global Learning Gap and Variable Teaching Quality 111

10 A Learning Community 116

The State of the Schools: 2000 116

"Nothing Ever Changes" 120

"On The Same Page" 121

China, the Economy, a Work Plan 123

An Education for Tomorrow 124

Organizational Culture and Change 125

An Education for Tomorrow, Today 127

Lessons Learned 127

11 World-Class Learning 129

What Is "World-Class?" 131

The Road Not Taken-Authentic Assessment 135

Toward a High International Standard 136

12 Beyond Corporate Education 140

The 21st-century School 141

Federal and State Government 147

Restoring Balance in Governance 151

13 Stop the Madness 152

The Burden of Reform 153

A Dysfunctional System 155

The Balance of Power 158

What Can We Do? 160

What Can Government Do? 162

References 165

Index 173

About the Author 181

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"An acute analysis of the failure of corporate school reform, a sobering tale of its damages, and an urgent call for changing course, all from a veteran education leader of the nation's best schools."
—Yong Zhao, internationally known scholar, author, and speaker

"Into an often toxic, unreasoning, and polarized education debate, Michael McGill introduces a much needed voice of reason, experience, and hope. McGill is a rare combination of experienced day-to-day practitioner of public school teaching and administration, and cogent historical analyst of the American education system. If you're looking for an overview that combines passion for education with an unerring feeling of veracity, this is the place to find it."
—Nicholas Lemann, Pulitzer-Moore Professor and Dean Emeritus at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism