Procedures

• Students can use the accompanying handout to take notes as they view the videos in this lesson.

  Handout: Educational Policy (Google Doc)

• Step 1:

  To start the discussion on who should make educational policy or if education is a right, students need to have an understanding of the 9th and 10th amendments. Have students watch the following clip to get a description of the amendments.

  Video Clip 1: Ninth and Tenth Amendments (1:00)

  After watching the video clip; either as a class, small groups, or individuals, have students come up with examples of the 9th and 10th amendment. Use the following tasks to guide students' discussion.

  • Have students think if Education is a Right - is this something guaranteed by the 9th Amendment?
  • Discuss how education fits into the 10th Amendment- does the national government have power to make educational policy?

• Step 2:

  Students will watch clips about different educational policies that address the intended and unintended outcomes of these policies. As students watch the videos, they should take notes on the Educational Policy Handout, identifying outcomes of the policy.

  • Video Clip 2: Elementary and Secondary Education Act: Title I (4:30)

  • Video Clip 3: No Child Left Behind (5:30)

  • Video Clip 4: Common Core (7:30)

  • Video Clip 5: Race to the Top (4:57)

  • Video Clip 6: Every Student Succeeds Act (6 :27)

• Step 3:

  Students should use their notes to provide a written response to the following prompt:

  • What role should the national government have in Educational Policy?

• Extension Activities:

  Ask students to consider the notes they took while viewing the videos and during class discussion then have students formulate an opinion on who should make educational policy. Students can demonstrate their opinion through:

  • Class-wide Socratic Seminar, using some of the articles as additional resources in the discussion.

  • Students write to local, state, or national legislatures on educational policies.

  • Have students research school funding and propose a plan for an equitable distribution of resources.