POL 3210 Politics of US Education

This course is designed to familiarize students with key debates concerning the public benefits, costs and effectiveness of public education policy in the United States and the historical relationship between public education and democracy. The course explores the role of political theory in shaping education policy from the colonial period to present. The course also explores the influence of social and psychological theories on U.S. education practices and how academic research can influence the politics surrounding education reform debates. Additionally, the course addresses crucial shifts in US education policy and contemporary debates surrounding funding, curriculum, pedagogy and standards in public education. Broad thematic concerns will include the role of education in a democracy, questions of equity in the American system, the role of federalism in shaping the U.S. education system, and the identification of key players in the U.S. education policy process. Prerequisite(s): POL 1100 OR POL 1200
Credits: 3.0