Exam 3 (Final) Flashcards
Common School Movement
An 1840s initiative led by Horace Mann, committed to values of equality of opportunity, saw public education as the “great equalizer”
A Nation at Risk
1983 government report by the National Commission on Excellence in Education, served as a scathing indictment of education system
Argued that a faulty education system was eroding the economy and the country’s competitiveness, encouraged policymakers to be bold in their reforms
Education Savings Accounts
Parent-managed private savings accounts funded by a deposit from state governments
Used to fund educational services after a parent withdraws their child from public school (exists in 6 states)
Common Core
Unveiled in 2010 (43 states adopted immediately) after new urgency following the failure of NCLB, established fewer, clearer, and higher standards for public schools (themes of rigor and race to the top under Obama Admin.)
Efforts were led by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors’ Association
Head Start
Created as part of the War on Poverty in 1965, targeted to address inner-city poverty
Won strong bipartisan support at inception
Comprehensive Child Development Act
1971 act called for permanent national provision of preschool, cleared Congress with wide coalition support
Vetoed by Nixon, who blasted its “communal” approach, led to fragmentation of preschool care (venue shopping)
Targeting within universalism
Policies benefit everyone, provide greater benefits to low-income individuals, used to gain broad support
- Critics argue that they are costly methods, not a good use of resources
Ex. Social Security (helps impoverished elderly, as well as all elderly)
Dual Clientele Trap
The idea that welfare serves two constituencies: “deserving” children in need of assistance and their custodial parents (doubted deservingness)
Money Trap
Meaningful reform requires more money than Congress and the public feel is necessary
(most require tax increase or increase in deficit, therefore many programs are underfunded)
Family Assistance Plan
Negative income tax approach proposed by Nixon in 1969, provided $1600 for a family of four with work requirements posed on all families
Design reflected money trap (low benefits, high phase-out rate), endorsed by house and rejected by senate twice (1970, 71)
Also reflected perverse incentives trap
New Federalism
Reagan proposed during SoTU that the federal government take over Medicaid and states control AFDC (welfare entitlement program), very unpopular
PRWORA
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, signed by Clinton
Ended entitlement programs (AFDC, JOBS, replaced them with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, increased work requirements, and gave more discretion to state and local governments
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
Passed in 1965 under LBJ’s War on Poverty, provided money to special needs groups (Low-income/achieving students), not general aid
Steadily expanded to cover additional children, many laws are ESEA reauthorizations (e.g., NCLB (2002) and ESSA (2015))
Charter schools
Starting in MN in 1991, autonomous entities operating within public school system under a contract allowing operation for a specific time with a mandate to provide a specific program/achieve certain results
- Operated by organizers (teachers, parents), overseen by sponsors (school board)
- Public funds granted based on number of students enrolled
- Fewer regulatory restrictions leading to more autonomy in staffing and curriculum
- Relies on market forces (competition) to “stay in business” (motive to hide poor performance, segregate students)
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
2002 act signed by President Bush, part of standards movement, emphasized testing to promote key theme of equality of opportunity
- Pillars of accountability, program effectiveness, expanded parental options, and increased local control over use of national funds
- States were dissatisfied with implementation, lead to lawsuits by states to regain control of education policy (rise of Common Core)
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
Signed by Obama in 2015, including prohibitions on the national government (responding to NCLB failures):
* Cannot mandate state spending on costs not covered by legislation
* Cannot endorse any curriculum
* Cannot develop or incentivize a national test
Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
Signed into law in 1954, subsidized preschool education and promoted family choice
- Example of hidden welfare state (federal gov’t forgoing tax revenue)
American Rescue Plan Act
Signed by Biden in 2021, introduced temporary changes to Child Tax Credit (increased from $2000 per child to $3600 for each under 6, $3000 for children 6-17)
- Fully refundable
- $2500 earned income requirement eliminated, phases out at lower income threshold
- Received bipartisan support (liberals - reduced economic inequality and addressed child poverty, conservatives - freed parents to use money as they see fit)
- Did not last (Manchin and Synema)
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Created in 1975, lump-sum payment from IRS targeting working poor
- Refundable tax credit with a phase-in range, plateau range, and phase-out range
- $60 billion in benefits distributed to 25 million recipients in 2020, challenging “poor programs” notion (distinguished from welfare as it is not an entitlement program)