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Critical Thinking Chapter 9

1. Explain the origin of Edison Schools. Research the history of Edison schools and explain their current demographic make-up throughout the United States. Imagine you are tasked with recommending to the District 150 leadership whether or not the annual contract with Edison should be renewed.

2. Read through and provide for the class a summary of the 1983 Nation at Risk Report. In response to this report numerous education reform efforts were initiated. If you were tasked with leading a state reform effort following Nation at Risk what would have been the five major areas of your focus. Why. Explain the political career of the writers of Nation at Risk.

3. Study the Voucher movement throughout the United States. Where have these efforts been successful where have they failed? What impact did the voucher program have on urban education? Propose your own voucher system for Peoria. What would be the key operating characteristics of your plan?

4. Online education continues to grow in the United States and around the world. Research this trend and identify key characteristics. What do you predict will happen in this area over the next ten years? Why do you believe this? What data supports your prediction?

5. For profit charter schools are now operating in a number of U.S. States. Some of these schools out perform local public schools others do not. Outline the history of the charter school movement. Peoria now has a charter school ran by Concept Schools. Research the history of this organization. What criticisms of this company exist and why? Would you recommend more charter schools to the Peoria are? Why or why not?

6. A number of charter schools are now succeeding. Summarize the educational philosophy and history of KIPP and Big Picture schools. What do these organizations have in common. What criticisms of Kipp and the Kipp approach can you identify. Would you recommend a Kipp style charter to Peoria.