Outside the Schoolhouse

3 Credits.

It is often said that the greatest impact on student learning comes from outside the school, via family background and the educational opportunities associated with income and education levels. Students will be introduced to the macro-data that is used to test these claims. They will review evidence on family structure and its intersection with race and economics, behavior that can challenge economic determinism, and initiatives such as Say Yes and Thread that are intended to support students to achieve outsized success. How successful are these programs – and where they are successful, and are they scalable? The course will also review the research on “community schools” and “wrap-around services” – two related approaches to giving less privileged students some of the supports that are automatic for those of greater means.