University of California at Berkeley
College of Engineering
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
SOC 113, Spring 2007
Final Materials
Final report due in class Monday, May 7th - just so I don't forget and oversleep =P
Contact: Brian Nguyen (bhnguyen@gmail.com)
Please email me any additional materials for your group if it's not already posted on here or if there is a problem with any material on here.
Contents
- Final Examination
- High School Exit Exam - What is the value of a high school diploma as a credential?
- Incentives to Reduce the Dropout Rate - Should high school students be given incentives to stay in school and graduate?
- Tracking - (Missing Paper) Should we track students in high school?
- A-G Curriculum - (Missing Readings, Paper) Should California use the A-G requirements as the default for high school graduation?
- Standardized Testing - (Missing Paper) Should we eliminate standardized tests as the leading measure of student academic learning?
- Merit Pay - (Missing Presentation) Is merit pay the most useful way of motivating teachers, and if so, what would be the most effective, fair, and objective way of distributing salaries?
- State vs. Local Funding for Public Education - (Missing Presentation, Paper) Should we eliminate local funding for public schools?
- State vs. Local Control of Schools - Would federal or state/district control of standards, curriculum, and assessment most effectively achieve the goals of the American education system?
- School Assignment Policies and Race/Ethnicity - Is racial diversity a core value in education?
Final Examination
Just in case I lose the assignment again:
Drawing on appropriate material from the entire course (lectures, readings, case study discussions, team projects), synthesize your views about a key problem facing American high schools and the strategies that you believe are most promising to address this problem. Feel free to include additional material/statistics from sources that we have not covered. Include references at the end of your paper.
The Scenario
A recent headline in the Oakland Tribune read, "Orchid Foundation Gives California $150 Million for High School Improvement." The story went on to describe how individual school districts can qualify for up to $10 million of this money. The most important criteria for a successful proposal are that district proposals include a clear, well-supported program plan and a set of measurable outcomes
The Challenge
As Superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), you have spent nearly three months meeting with the school board, school administrators, teachers, parents, and students to develop a proposal for funding a School Improvement Plan.
- What is the problem that you will be addressing if you receive an Orchid Foundation grant [Statement of Need, including supporting statistics]?
- What are the program's goals? How do these goals support your concept of the district's responsibilities toward students, their families, and our society? [Program Goals and District Responsibilities]?
- What strategies are you proposing that OUSD will use to address the problem [School Improvement Plan - Key Strategies: present these in bullet format, but also include supporting narrative]? This section tells the reader about they key elements of the plan.
- What evidence can you provide that these strategies are likely to resolve the problem successfully? [School Improvement Plan - Justification]?
- How will you measure the results of your efforts [Student Outcomes - be specific about outcomes and how they will be measured]?
- What challenges do you think the district will face in implementing this plan, and how will you attempt to overcome them [Challenges and Solutions, including a discussion of the perspectives of the stakeholders]?
High School Exit Exam
Readings
Presentation
Paper
Incentives to Reduce the Dropout Rate
Readings
Presentation
Paper
Tracking
Readings
Additional Recommended Readings
- Mann, A. McIntyre, M. (1992) "Debate: Should Schools Eliminate Gifted and Talented Programs?" NEA Today.
- Nevi. C. (1987) In Defense of Tracking. Educational Leadership, 44(6), 24-26.
- Oakes. J. (1995) "Two Cities' Tracking and Within School Segregation." Teachers College Record. v96, n4.
- Oakes, J. (1985) "Tracking" In Keeping Track. New Haven, Yale: University Press.
Presentation
A-G Curriculum
Presentation
Standardized Testing
Readings
Presentation
Merit Pay
Readings
Paper
State vs. Local Funding for Public Education
Readings
State vs. Local Control of Schools
Readings
Presentation
Paper
School Assignment Policies and Race/Ethnicity
Readings
Additional Recommended Readings
Presentation
Paper
Page shamelessly ripped from this page.
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WIP Semester Project
Site
CS61C