Education-new Right Flashcards
What current problems do new right think is wrong with education?
-too much state control of education has resulted in economic decline and lack of initiative.
-education has taken a one size fits all approach that does not meet individual needs.
-lower standards as run schools are nit held accountable for those that use them; it’s therefore inefficient.
-schools that get poor results do not change because they are not answerable to their consumer. The result is lower and a less qualified workforce.
What study did Chubb and Moe do?
-compared the achievements of 60,000 pupils from low-income families in 1,015 state and private schools in the USA.
What did Chubb and Moe find in their study?
-that pupils from low-income families do 5% better in private schools
-suggests that education is not meritocratic
What criticisms do Chubb and Moe have about the current education system?
-state education has failed to create equal opportunity because it does not have to respond to pupil’s needs.
-parents and communities cannot do anything about failing schools whilst they are controlled by the state.
-private schools deliver higher quality education because they are answerable to paying customers-the parents.
What is Chubb and Moe’s solution to fixing the education system?
-A market system in state education that gives control to consumers.
-This should be done via voucher system in which each family would be given a voucher to spend on buying education from a school of their choice.
What are some evaluations of the New Right?
-competition between schools only benefits the middle class as they use their cultural and economic capital to access better schools.
-The real cause of educational failings is due to a lack of funding which the NR ignore.
-The NR contradicts itself; wants greater competition and choice but also wants to impose a curriculum onto schools.
-The NR ignore that the education system brings about class inequalities and benefits the ruling classes more
Neo liberal beliefs?
-belief that the state should not be expected to provide services such as education, healthcare and benefits.
-believe the state should not dictate to individuals how to live and there should be a free market economy in society.
When/what was Margaret thatchers right to buy scheme?
1980
Gave people the opportunity to buy their council houses
When/what was Margaret thatchers educational reform act?
1980’s
Open enrolment, not based on catchment areas
Criticisms of neo-liberalism
-league tables get published. Better grades mean higher positioning.
-offsted reports mean that schools are ranked.
-open enrolment means that schools have to fight for customers.
-academies (2010 coalition) and free schools have less state control then state schools.
Evaluations of the new right.
-competition between schools only benefits the middle class as they use their cultural and economic capital to access better schools.
-The real cause of educational failings is a lack of funding, which NR ignore.
-the NR contradicts itself, wants greater competition and choice but also wants to impose a curriculum.
-NR ignore that the education system brings about class inequalities and benefits the ruling classes more.
Problems with a market system in education.
-some schools will be able to improve as they have lots of funding (middle class areas) because they get good results. Underperforming schools attract less pupils and leads to less funding=cycle of underachievement.
-high performing schools that ate oversubscribed will be able to select pupils. power back to schools not consumers.
-WC families lack economic and cultural capital so will have to go to local schools as they lack knowledge of the educational system; unlike MC that know how to use offsted and league tables. MC=privileged skilled choosers.
-In a system where schools are judged and compete for consumers. Schools are under pressure to perform well and so they are more selective. Cream skimming for MC and silt sift the WC
