POL 381 - Education Policy in America: Dollars, Sticks, or Carrots? (American Politics & Public Policy) (1)

This course will focus on analyzing contemporary education policy in the United States. We will explore the motivations, goals, and outcomes of major educational policies. Have they achieved what they intended to accomplish? Why or why not? We will also consider issues concerning the role of education in society, the presence and impact of inequality in education, and the role of the federal government in guiding education policy. Throughout the course we will return to an underlying question that permeates many of today’s education policy debates: What is the proper use of incentives, resources, and/or sanctions in maximizing student achievement, teacher quality, and social benefits from education? Prerequisite: POL 172 or POL 182.
(Social Science)