Chapter 16
Education
Chapter Outline
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Schooling and Society: Theories
of Education
Does Schooling Matter?
Education and Inequality
School Reform
Education in the U.S.
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
1900 - education was established by law
in all states except for a few Southern
states, where Black Americans were
denied formal education.
1910 - less than 10% of White 18 year
olds graduated from high school.
Education in the U.S.
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
1930 - less than half of 18 year olds
had attended high school.
1960 - the number of young adults
with a diploma approached 50%.
Expansion of Education
School Drop Out Risks
Theories of Education
Education in Society
Fulfills certain needs for
Functionalism
socialization
Reflects other inequities in
Conflict Theory
society
Emerges depending on the
Symbolic
interaction between groups
Interaction
in schools
Theories of Education
Schools
Inculcate values needed by
Functionalism
the society
Reflecting conflict and
Conflict Theory
power in society
Sites where social
Symbolic
interaction between groups
Interaction
influence chances for
success
Theories of Education
Social Change
Schools take on functions that
Functionalism other institutions, (the family)
originally fulfilled
Threatens to put some groups
Conflict Theory at disadvantage in the quality
of education
Symbolic
Can be positive as people
Interaction
develop new perceptions of
stereotyped groups
Polling Question

What is the highest level of education
completed by your mother?
A.) Below high school
B.) High school graduate
C.) Some college or postsecondary training
D.) College degree
E.) Graduate or professional degree
F.) Don't know
Polling Question

What is the highest level of education
completed by your father?
A.) Below high school
B.) High school graduate
C.) Some college or postsecondary training
D.) College degree
E.) Graduate or professional degree
F.) Don't know
Median Income, By Education and
Gender
Level of Schooling
Men
Women
Less than 9th grade
$14,139
$8,404
9th to 12th grade
18,952
9,995
High school graduate
27,669
15,120
Some college
33,035
20,181
Median Income, By Education and
Gender
Level of Schooling
Men
Women
Associate degree
37,956
23,270
Bachelor’s degree
49,180
30,489
Master’s degree
59,376
40,246
Doctorate degree
71,732
48,885
Social Class, Race–Ethnicity,
Education, Occupation, and Income
Average SAT Scores, By Family
Income
No. of
Family Income
students
<$10K
34,890
SAT
SAT
Verbal Math
421
443
$10–$20K
70,696
442
456
$20K–$30K
86,414
468
474
$30K–$40K
101,692
487
489
$40K–$50K
86,637
501
503
Average SAT Scores, By Family
Income
No. of
Family Income
students
$50K–$60K
89,620
SAT
SAT
Verbal Math
509
512
$60K–$70K
77,020
516
519
$70K–$80K
72,298
522
527
$80K–$90K
95,656
534
540
>$100K
152,191
557
569
Average SAT Scores, By Ethnicity
and Gender
SAT Test Takers Who
Described Themselves as:
SAT Verbal Mean Scores
2003
Male
2003
Female
2003
Total
American Indian or Alaskan
Native
482
481
482
Asian, Asian American or
Pacific Islander
502
498
499
African American or Black
433
436
435
Average SAT Scores, By Ethnicity
and Gender
SAT Test Takers Who
Described Themselves as:
SAT Verbal Mean Scores
2003
Male
2003
Female
2003
Total
Mexican/ Mexican American
460
500
455
Puerto Rican
460
452
456
467
457
461
530
528
529
Latin American, South
American, Central
American, other Hispanic or
Latino
White
Literacy Around the World
Criticisms of Standardized
Tests
1.
2.
3.
Measure limited ranges of ability.
Designed by middle class, white
males, and include cultural and
gender biases.
Do not predict school performance
very well.
The Bell Curve Theory
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The distribution of intelligence in
the population approximates a
bell-shaped curve.
Intelligence is 70% inherited and
30% related to the environment.
Criticism of the Bell Curve
1.
Studies show standardized tests do not
measure intelligence as accurately for:
 minorities as whites
 women as men
 individuals of lower status as those of
higher status
Criticism of the Bell Curve
2.
3.
There is evidence that environment
contributes more to intelligence than
genes.
Conclusions about women versus men,
minority versus White, and lower class
versus upper class on heritability results
attained on White men.
Tracking
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Students in high tracks receive
positive effects, while low track
students suffer negative effects.
Less is expected of lower-track
students.
Once a student is labeled, the label
sticks, regardless if it is accurate.
Teacher Expectancy Effect
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What the teacher expects students to do
affects what they will do.
The self-fulfilling prophecy shows that
merely applying a label has the effect of
justifying the label.
The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Research on Gender and
Education
Findings from report commissioned by
AAUW:
1. Teachers pay less attention to girls and
women.
2. Women lag behind in math and science
ability and achievement scores.
3. Some standardized math and science
tests retain gender bias.
Research on Gender and
Education
4.
5.
6.
7.
Standardized math tests tend to underpredict women’s actual grades in
mathematics.
Teachers tend to treat Black women and
White women differently.
Textbooks ignore or stereotype women.
As girls approach adolescence, their
self-esteem tends to drop.
Polling Question

Rate yourself on academic ability
compared with the average person your
age.
A.) Highest 10 percent
B.) Above average
C.) Average
D.) Below average
E.) Bottom 10 percent
Stereotype Threat, Race and
Test Performance
Stereotype Threat
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Two common stereotypes in the United States:
1. Blacks perform less well than Whites on
tests of math and verbal ability so they have
inherent math and verbal deficiencies.
2. Women perform less well than men on
math tests so they have an inherent math
deficiency.
If Black students believe these stereotypes,
they may perform less well on a test if they are
told “this is a genuine test of your true ability.”
School Reforms
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Back-to-basics movement stresses a return to
the three R’s and stricter discipline, stiffer
grading standards, and combating grade
inflation.
Multiculturalism movement seeks to reform the
curriculum by adding courses in African
American and Black Studies, Hispanic or Latino
Studies, Native American Studies, Women’s
Studies, and Gay and Lesbian Studies.
Quick Quiz
1. "Education in society reflects other
inequities in society, and perpetuates
such inequalities by tracking practices."
This statement is most closely related to:
a. functionalism
b. conflict theory
c. evolutionary theory
d. symbolic interaction
Answer: b
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"Education in society reflects other
inequities in society, and perpetuates
such inequalities by tracking practices."
This statement is most closely related to
conflict theory.
2. "Schools are sites where social
interaction between groups influences
chances for individual and group
success." This statement is most closely
related to:
a. evolutionary theory
b. conflict theory
c. functionalism
d. symbolic interaction
Answer: d

"Schools are sites where social
interaction between groups influences
chances for individual and group
success." This statement is most closely
related to symbolic interaction.
3. "Schools inculcate values needed by the
society." This statement is most closely
related to:
a. functionalism
b. symbolic interaction
c. feminist theory
d. conflict theory
Answer: a

"Schools inculcate values needed by the
society." This statement is most closely
related to functionalism.
4. The ________ stresses a return to a
traditional curriculum delivered with
traditional methods.
a. good-old-days movement
b. back-to-basics movement
c. redemptive movement
d. NTE movement
Answer: b
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The back-to-basics movement stresses
a return to a traditional curriculum
delivered with traditional methods.