Posted: February 20th, 2017

. Explain the main pros and cons in the debate about these policies. Evaluate them from two perspectives:

The U.S. government’s expansive role in public policy is caught in
a swirl of conflicting cross-currents. On the one hand, popular expectations
about government’s responsibility to solve problems often exceed the capacity of
state and local authorities to respond effectively. On the other hand, policies
developed at the national level may not sufficiently reflect the great diversity
of interests across the U.S. to be effective at the local level. Moreover, the
search for effective policy is further complicated by theoretical debates about
the constitutional framework of federalism, e.g., what limits on national power
can be derived from the Tenth Amendment?

A policy area in the middle of these cross-currents is elementary and secondary education
– a subject traditionally under local control, with some oversight by the
states. However, during the last four decades – especially since 2001 – the
national government’s role in education has grown significantly as a result of
initiatives by Republican and Democratic administrations. Use the assigned
resources to inform yourself about this role and the arguments of its supporters
and critics.

Before writing your initial post, review the assigned resources.

In your initial post of at least 200-250 words, briefly summarize the national
government’s education policies. Explain the main pros and cons in the debate
about these policies. Evaluate them from two perspectives: