Author: Annette Lareau
Publisher: Russell Sage Foundation
ISBN: 1610448200
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Book Description
A series of policy shifts over the past decade promises to change how Americans decide where to send their children to school. In theory, the boom in standardized test scores and charter schools will allow parents to evaluate their assigned neighborhood school, or move in search of a better option. But what kind of data do parents actually use while choosing schools? Are there differences among suburban and urban families? How do parents’ choices influence school and residential segregation in America? Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools presents a breakthrough analysis of the new era of school choice, and what it portends for American neighborhoods. The distinguished contributors to Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools investigate the complex relationship between education, neighborhood social networks, and larger patterns of inequality. Paul Jargowsky reviews recent trends in segregation by race and class. His analysis shows that segregation between blacks and whites has declined since 1970, but remains extremely high. Moreover, white families with children are less likely than childless whites to live in neighborhoods with more minority residents. In her chapter, Annette Lareau draws on interviews with parents in three suburban neighborhoods to analyze school-choice decisions. Surprisingly, she finds that middle- and upper-class parents do not rely on active research, such as school tours or test scores. Instead, most simply trust advice from friends and other people in their network. Their decision-making process was largely informal and passive. Eliot Weinginer complements this research when he draws from his data on urban parents. He finds that these families worry endlessly about the selection of a school, and that parents of all backgrounds actively consider alternatives, including charter schools. Middle- and upper-class parents relied more on federally mandated report cards, district websites, and online forums, while working-class parents use network contacts to gain information on school quality. Little previous research has explored what role school concerns play in the preferences of white and minority parents for particular neighborhoods. Featuring innovative work from more than a dozen scholars, Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools adroitly addresses this gap and provides a firmer understanding of how Americans choose where to live and send their children to school.
Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools
Author: Annette Lareau
Publisher: Russell Sage Foundation
ISBN: 1610448200
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Book Description
A series of policy shifts over the past decade promises to change how Americans decide where to send their children to school. In theory, the boom in standardized test scores and charter schools will allow parents to evaluate their assigned neighborhood school, or move in search of a better option. But what kind of data do parents actually use while choosing schools? Are there differences among suburban and urban families? How do parents’ choices influence school and residential segregation in America? Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools presents a breakthrough analysis of the new era of school choice, and what it portends for American neighborhoods. The distinguished contributors to Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools investigate the complex relationship between education, neighborhood social networks, and larger patterns of inequality. Paul Jargowsky reviews recent trends in segregation by race and class. His analysis shows that segregation between blacks and whites has declined since 1970, but remains extremely high. Moreover, white families with children are less likely than childless whites to live in neighborhoods with more minority residents. In her chapter, Annette Lareau draws on interviews with parents in three suburban neighborhoods to analyze school-choice decisions. Surprisingly, she finds that middle- and upper-class parents do not rely on active research, such as school tours or test scores. Instead, most simply trust advice from friends and other people in their network. Their decision-making process was largely informal and passive. Eliot Weinginer complements this research when he draws from his data on urban parents. He finds that these families worry endlessly about the selection of a school, and that parents of all backgrounds actively consider alternatives, including charter schools. Middle- and upper-class parents relied more on federally mandated report cards, district websites, and online forums, while working-class parents use network contacts to gain information on school quality. Little previous research has explored what role school concerns play in the preferences of white and minority parents for particular neighborhoods. Featuring innovative work from more than a dozen scholars, Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools adroitly addresses this gap and provides a firmer understanding of how Americans choose where to live and send their children to school.
Publisher: Russell Sage Foundation
ISBN: 1610448200
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Book Description
A series of policy shifts over the past decade promises to change how Americans decide where to send their children to school. In theory, the boom in standardized test scores and charter schools will allow parents to evaluate their assigned neighborhood school, or move in search of a better option. But what kind of data do parents actually use while choosing schools? Are there differences among suburban and urban families? How do parents’ choices influence school and residential segregation in America? Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools presents a breakthrough analysis of the new era of school choice, and what it portends for American neighborhoods. The distinguished contributors to Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools investigate the complex relationship between education, neighborhood social networks, and larger patterns of inequality. Paul Jargowsky reviews recent trends in segregation by race and class. His analysis shows that segregation between blacks and whites has declined since 1970, but remains extremely high. Moreover, white families with children are less likely than childless whites to live in neighborhoods with more minority residents. In her chapter, Annette Lareau draws on interviews with parents in three suburban neighborhoods to analyze school-choice decisions. Surprisingly, she finds that middle- and upper-class parents do not rely on active research, such as school tours or test scores. Instead, most simply trust advice from friends and other people in their network. Their decision-making process was largely informal and passive. Eliot Weinginer complements this research when he draws from his data on urban parents. He finds that these families worry endlessly about the selection of a school, and that parents of all backgrounds actively consider alternatives, including charter schools. Middle- and upper-class parents relied more on federally mandated report cards, district websites, and online forums, while working-class parents use network contacts to gain information on school quality. Little previous research has explored what role school concerns play in the preferences of white and minority parents for particular neighborhoods. Featuring innovative work from more than a dozen scholars, Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools adroitly addresses this gap and provides a firmer understanding of how Americans choose where to live and send their children to school.
Choosing Schools
Author: Mark Schneider
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 9780691092836
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 334
Book Description
School choice seeks to create a competitive arena in which public schools will attain academic excellence, encourage individual student performance, and achieve social balance. In debating the feasibility of this market approach to improving school systems, analysts have focused primarily on schools as suppliers of education, but an important question remains: Will parents be able to function as "smart consumers" on behalf of their children? Here a highly respected team of social scientists provides extensive empirical evidence on how parents currently do make these choices. Drawn from four different types of school districts in New York City and suburban New Jersey, their findings not only stress the importance of parental decision-making and involvement to school performance but also clarify the issues of school choice in ways that bring much-needed balance to the ongoing debate. The authors analyze what parents value in education, how much they know about schools, how well they can match what they say they want in schools with what their children get, how satisfied they are with their children's schools, and how their involvement in the schools is affected by the opportunity to choose. They discover, most notably, that low-income parents value education as much as, if not more than, high-income parents, but do not have access to the same quality of school information. This problem comes under sensitive, thorough scrutiny as do a host of other important topics, from school performance to segregation to children at risk of being left behind.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 9780691092836
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 334
Book Description
School choice seeks to create a competitive arena in which public schools will attain academic excellence, encourage individual student performance, and achieve social balance. In debating the feasibility of this market approach to improving school systems, analysts have focused primarily on schools as suppliers of education, but an important question remains: Will parents be able to function as "smart consumers" on behalf of their children? Here a highly respected team of social scientists provides extensive empirical evidence on how parents currently do make these choices. Drawn from four different types of school districts in New York City and suburban New Jersey, their findings not only stress the importance of parental decision-making and involvement to school performance but also clarify the issues of school choice in ways that bring much-needed balance to the ongoing debate. The authors analyze what parents value in education, how much they know about schools, how well they can match what they say they want in schools with what their children get, how satisfied they are with their children's schools, and how their involvement in the schools is affected by the opportunity to choose. They discover, most notably, that low-income parents value education as much as, if not more than, high-income parents, but do not have access to the same quality of school information. This problem comes under sensitive, thorough scrutiny as do a host of other important topics, from school performance to segregation to children at risk of being left behind.
Choosing Colleges
Author: Patricia M. McDonough
Publisher: SUNY Press
ISBN: 9780791434789
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 192
Book Description
Examines the everyday experiences of high school seniors as they choose their colleges and demonstrates that college choice is a more complex social and organizational reality than has been previously understood.
Publisher: SUNY Press
ISBN: 9780791434789
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 192
Book Description
Examines the everyday experiences of high school seniors as they choose their colleges and demonstrates that college choice is a more complex social and organizational reality than has been previously understood.
When Middle-Class Parents Choose Urban Schools
Author: Linn Posey-Maddox
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022612035X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 217
Book Description
In recent decades a growing number of middle-class parents have considered sending their children to—and often end up becoming active in—urban public schools. Their presence can bring long-needed material resources to such schools, but, as Linn Posey-Maddox shows in this study, it can also introduce new class and race tensions, and even exacerbate inequalities. Sensitively navigating the pros and cons of middle-class transformation, When Middle-Class Parents Choose Urban Schools asks whether it is possible for our urban public schools to have both financial security and equitable diversity. Drawing on in-depth research at an urban elementary school, Posey-Maddox examines parents’ efforts to support the school through their outreach, marketing, and volunteerism. She shows that when middle-class parents engage in urban school communities, they can bring a host of positive benefits, including new educational opportunities and greater diversity. But their involvement can also unintentionally marginalize less-affluent parents and diminish low-income students’ access to the improving schools. In response, Posey-Maddox argues that school reform efforts, which usually equate improvement with rising test scores and increased enrollment, need to have more equity-focused policies in place to ensure that low-income families also benefit from—and participate in—school change.
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022612035X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 217
Book Description
In recent decades a growing number of middle-class parents have considered sending their children to—and often end up becoming active in—urban public schools. Their presence can bring long-needed material resources to such schools, but, as Linn Posey-Maddox shows in this study, it can also introduce new class and race tensions, and even exacerbate inequalities. Sensitively navigating the pros and cons of middle-class transformation, When Middle-Class Parents Choose Urban Schools asks whether it is possible for our urban public schools to have both financial security and equitable diversity. Drawing on in-depth research at an urban elementary school, Posey-Maddox examines parents’ efforts to support the school through their outreach, marketing, and volunteerism. She shows that when middle-class parents engage in urban school communities, they can bring a host of positive benefits, including new educational opportunities and greater diversity. But their involvement can also unintentionally marginalize less-affluent parents and diminish low-income students’ access to the improving schools. In response, Posey-Maddox argues that school reform efforts, which usually equate improvement with rising test scores and increased enrollment, need to have more equity-focused policies in place to ensure that low-income families also benefit from—and participate in—school change.
School’s Choice
Author: Wagma Mommandi
Publisher: Teachers College Press
ISBN: 0807779806
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 233
Book Description
Access issues are pivotal to almost all charter school tensions and debates. How well are these schools performing? Are they segregating and stratifying? Are they public and democratic? Are they fairly funded? Can apparent successes be scaled up? Answers to all these core questions hinge on how access to charter schools is shaped. This book describes the incentives and pressures on charter schools to restrict access and examines how charters navigate those pressures, explaining access-restricting practices in relation to the ecosystem within which charter schools are created. It also explains how charters have sometimes responded by resisting the pressures and sometimes by surrendering to them. The text presents analyses of 13 different types of practices around access, each of which shapes the school’s enrollment. The authors conclude by offering recommendations for how states and authorizers can address access-related inequities that arise in the charter sector. School’s Choice provides timely information on critical academic and policy issues that will come into play as charter school policy continues to evolve. Book Features: Examines how charter schools control who gains and retains access.Explores policies and practices that undermine equitable admission and encourage opportunity hoarding.Offers a set of policy recommendations at the state and federal level to address access-related issues.
Publisher: Teachers College Press
ISBN: 0807779806
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 233
Book Description
Access issues are pivotal to almost all charter school tensions and debates. How well are these schools performing? Are they segregating and stratifying? Are they public and democratic? Are they fairly funded? Can apparent successes be scaled up? Answers to all these core questions hinge on how access to charter schools is shaped. This book describes the incentives and pressures on charter schools to restrict access and examines how charters navigate those pressures, explaining access-restricting practices in relation to the ecosystem within which charter schools are created. It also explains how charters have sometimes responded by resisting the pressures and sometimes by surrendering to them. The text presents analyses of 13 different types of practices around access, each of which shapes the school’s enrollment. The authors conclude by offering recommendations for how states and authorizers can address access-related inequities that arise in the charter sector. School’s Choice provides timely information on critical academic and policy issues that will come into play as charter school policy continues to evolve. Book Features: Examines how charter schools control who gains and retains access.Explores policies and practices that undermine equitable admission and encourage opportunity hoarding.Offers a set of policy recommendations at the state and federal level to address access-related issues.
Choosing the Right College
Author: Intercollegiate Studies Institute
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 832
Book Description
In his introduction, former drug czar William J. Bennett supports this reference for its "tough-minded analysis of the quality of instruction, the level of academic standards, the campus political atmosphere, and the extent to which the liberal arts tradition is respected...." These evaluations are intended to help conservative parents and students steer away from colleges whose programs lean too heavily toward the political left; in effect, conversely, it can also help liberal-minded folk find the less tradition-bound schools. Entries describe and assess 110 top colleges and universities in essays of about 3,000 words, focusing on the school's academic, political, and social climates. They name outstanding professors, describe curricula, comment on the administration's policies towards issues such as sexual harassment and free speech, and describe the range of student organizations and activities found on campus. Quotes from students and professors are included. Entries also include information on tuition, enrollment, and SAT scores. This second edition contains 10 more essays, updated coverage of every school, a new essay on liberal learning, and increased coverage of student life. c. Book News Inc.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 832
Book Description
In his introduction, former drug czar William J. Bennett supports this reference for its "tough-minded analysis of the quality of instruction, the level of academic standards, the campus political atmosphere, and the extent to which the liberal arts tradition is respected...." These evaluations are intended to help conservative parents and students steer away from colleges whose programs lean too heavily toward the political left; in effect, conversely, it can also help liberal-minded folk find the less tradition-bound schools. Entries describe and assess 110 top colleges and universities in essays of about 3,000 words, focusing on the school's academic, political, and social climates. They name outstanding professors, describe curricula, comment on the administration's policies towards issues such as sexual harassment and free speech, and describe the range of student organizations and activities found on campus. Quotes from students and professors are included. Entries also include information on tuition, enrollment, and SAT scores. This second edition contains 10 more essays, updated coverage of every school, a new essay on liberal learning, and increased coverage of student life. c. Book News Inc.
The School Choice Roadmap
Author: Andrew Campanella
Publisher: Beaufort Books
ISBN: 0825308151
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 178
Book Description
WINNER OF THE 2020 FOREWORD INDIES GOLD AWARD IN EDUCATION WINNER OF THE SILVER IPPY AWARD FOR BEST EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES You want your children to benefit from a great education. But every student is unique. One type of school might be a great fit for your neighbor's child, but it might not work for your son or daughter. Across the country, many parents today have more choices for their children's education than ever before. If you are starting the process of finding your child's first school—or if you want to choose a new learning environment—The School Choice Roadmap is for you. This first-of-its-kind book offers a practical, jargon-free overview of school choice policies, from public school open enrollment to private school scholarships and more. It breaks down the similarities and differences between traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, online public schools, private schools, and homeschooling. Most importantly, The School Choice Roadmap offers a seven-step process that will help you harness the power of your own intuition—and your own expertise about your child's uniqueness—to help you find a school that reflects your family's goals, values, and priorities. Filled with sage advice from dozens of other parents who have pursued the school search process, and interviews with school leaders and teachers, The School Choice Roadmap is an optimistic, empowering book that cuts through the confusion in K-12 education—so that you can give your children every opportunity to succeed in school and in life.
Publisher: Beaufort Books
ISBN: 0825308151
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 178
Book Description
WINNER OF THE 2020 FOREWORD INDIES GOLD AWARD IN EDUCATION WINNER OF THE SILVER IPPY AWARD FOR BEST EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES You want your children to benefit from a great education. But every student is unique. One type of school might be a great fit for your neighbor's child, but it might not work for your son or daughter. Across the country, many parents today have more choices for their children's education than ever before. If you are starting the process of finding your child's first school—or if you want to choose a new learning environment—The School Choice Roadmap is for you. This first-of-its-kind book offers a practical, jargon-free overview of school choice policies, from public school open enrollment to private school scholarships and more. It breaks down the similarities and differences between traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, online public schools, private schools, and homeschooling. Most importantly, The School Choice Roadmap offers a seven-step process that will help you harness the power of your own intuition—and your own expertise about your child's uniqueness—to help you find a school that reflects your family's goals, values, and priorities. Filled with sage advice from dozens of other parents who have pursued the school search process, and interviews with school leaders and teachers, The School Choice Roadmap is an optimistic, empowering book that cuts through the confusion in K-12 education—so that you can give your children every opportunity to succeed in school and in life.
Choosing the Right College 2014–15
Author: John Zmirak
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 148049299X
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 1119
Book Description
“By far the best college guide, for both its honesty and its insights.” —Thomas Sowell Over the past decade, Choosing the Right College has established itself as the indispensable resource for students—and parents—who want the unvarnished truth about America’s top colleges and universities. It is the most in-depth, independently researched college guide on the market, using on-campus sources to turn up the best—and worst—aspects of nearly 150 schools. Just as important, Choosing the Right College covers the intellectual, political, and social conditions that really matter, including: · The integrity and rigor of the curriculum · Which courses and professors to take—and which to avoid · The prevalence of politics in the classroom and the state of free speech—all highlighted with ISI’s unique “traffic light” · Living arrangements, safety, and other keys to student life · How to get a real education at any school Beyond all that, this brand-new edition of Choosing the Right College features a host of innovations, including: “So You’re Looking For...,” top-five lists of colleges for all types of students; a quick list of each school’s strengths and weaknesses; an insider’s look at the pros and cons of online education; and more. This new edition of Choosing the Right College also provides the financial information families need in this age of soaring tuition. What are the most overpriced colleges—and which are relatively good values? What is the average student-debt load? To cap it all off, Choosing the Right College introduces the groundbreaking feature “Blue Collar Ivies”—in-depth reports on the best affordable colleges in all fifty states. Choosing the Right College 2014–15 will completely change the way young people make a life-altering decision.
Publisher: Open Road Media
ISBN: 148049299X
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 1119
Book Description
“By far the best college guide, for both its honesty and its insights.” —Thomas Sowell Over the past decade, Choosing the Right College has established itself as the indispensable resource for students—and parents—who want the unvarnished truth about America’s top colleges and universities. It is the most in-depth, independently researched college guide on the market, using on-campus sources to turn up the best—and worst—aspects of nearly 150 schools. Just as important, Choosing the Right College covers the intellectual, political, and social conditions that really matter, including: · The integrity and rigor of the curriculum · Which courses and professors to take—and which to avoid · The prevalence of politics in the classroom and the state of free speech—all highlighted with ISI’s unique “traffic light” · Living arrangements, safety, and other keys to student life · How to get a real education at any school Beyond all that, this brand-new edition of Choosing the Right College features a host of innovations, including: “So You’re Looking For...,” top-five lists of colleges for all types of students; a quick list of each school’s strengths and weaknesses; an insider’s look at the pros and cons of online education; and more. This new edition of Choosing the Right College also provides the financial information families need in this age of soaring tuition. What are the most overpriced colleges—and which are relatively good values? What is the average student-debt load? To cap it all off, Choosing the Right College introduces the groundbreaking feature “Blue Collar Ivies”—in-depth reports on the best affordable colleges in all fifty states. Choosing the Right College 2014–15 will completely change the way young people make a life-altering decision.
Choosing Schools
Author: Mark Schneider
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691225680
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 329
Book Description
School choice seeks to create a competitive arena in which public schools will attain academic excellence, encourage individual student performance, and achieve social balance. In debating the feasibility of this market approach to improving school systems, analysts have focused primarily on schools as suppliers of education, but an important question remains: Will parents be able to function as "smart consumers" on behalf of their children? Here a highly respected team of social scientists provides extensive empirical evidence on how parents currently do make these choices. Drawn from four different types of school districts in New York City and suburban New Jersey, their findings not only stress the importance of parental decision-making and involvement to school performance but also clarify the issues of school choice in ways that bring much-needed balance to the ongoing debate. The authors analyze what parents value in education, how much they know about schools, how well they can match what they say they want in schools with what their children get, how satisfied they are with their children's schools, and how their involvement in the schools is affected by the opportunity to choose. They discover, most notably, that low-income parents value education as much as, if not more than, high-income parents, but do not have access to the same quality of school information. This problem comes under sensitive, thorough scrutiny as do a host of other important topics, from school performance to segregation to children at risk of being left behind.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691225680
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 329
Book Description
School choice seeks to create a competitive arena in which public schools will attain academic excellence, encourage individual student performance, and achieve social balance. In debating the feasibility of this market approach to improving school systems, analysts have focused primarily on schools as suppliers of education, but an important question remains: Will parents be able to function as "smart consumers" on behalf of their children? Here a highly respected team of social scientists provides extensive empirical evidence on how parents currently do make these choices. Drawn from four different types of school districts in New York City and suburban New Jersey, their findings not only stress the importance of parental decision-making and involvement to school performance but also clarify the issues of school choice in ways that bring much-needed balance to the ongoing debate. The authors analyze what parents value in education, how much they know about schools, how well they can match what they say they want in schools with what their children get, how satisfied they are with their children's schools, and how their involvement in the schools is affected by the opportunity to choose. They discover, most notably, that low-income parents value education as much as, if not more than, high-income parents, but do not have access to the same quality of school information. This problem comes under sensitive, thorough scrutiny as do a host of other important topics, from school performance to segregation to children at risk of being left behind.
Going Against the Grain
Author: Ann S. Bayer
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 0824833392
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 314
Book Description
This book is about passion, advocacy, and the willingness of parents to "go against the grain." It’s about Hawai‘i professionals choosing public education for their children in a state that adheres to a commonly held belief that "public schools are failing and private schools are succeeding." University of Hawai‘i education professor Ann Bayer interviewed fifty-one parents, including five who chose private schools. Physicians, professors, attorneys, military officers, teachers, legislators, business executives and entrepreneurs, bankers, and administrators of both genders and from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds were among those interviewed. Bayer begins by asking parents why they chose to send their children to public schools. She also asks them to describe the reaction of families, friends, and colleagues to their decision and their children’s school experiences—both positive and negative. From these conversations the concept of what constitutes a "good public school" emerges as well as the opportunities provided by such schools. Several parents remark that their children have gone on to attend the same colleges and universities as private school graduates. Other chapters examine more closely the prevalent belief in the superiority of Hawai‘i’s private schools and its impact on students, parents, and teachers. Bayer argues that it is important to understand this belief system and how both newcomers and longtime residents are exposed to it given its influence on parental decisions about schooling. Finally, she returns to interviews with parents for suggestions on how to improve public education in Hawai‘i and to address the question "Why should we care about the public school system?" Responses spark frank discussions on the broader implications for the civic and economic health of a community fragmented by two-tiered schooling. Candid and insightful, Going Against the Grain provides a much-needed look at education in Hawai‘i. It will be essential reading for parents, teachers, administrators, legislators, policy makers, and others interested in promoting and supporting public education and understanding its role in a democracy.
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 0824833392
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 314
Book Description
This book is about passion, advocacy, and the willingness of parents to "go against the grain." It’s about Hawai‘i professionals choosing public education for their children in a state that adheres to a commonly held belief that "public schools are failing and private schools are succeeding." University of Hawai‘i education professor Ann Bayer interviewed fifty-one parents, including five who chose private schools. Physicians, professors, attorneys, military officers, teachers, legislators, business executives and entrepreneurs, bankers, and administrators of both genders and from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds were among those interviewed. Bayer begins by asking parents why they chose to send their children to public schools. She also asks them to describe the reaction of families, friends, and colleagues to their decision and their children’s school experiences—both positive and negative. From these conversations the concept of what constitutes a "good public school" emerges as well as the opportunities provided by such schools. Several parents remark that their children have gone on to attend the same colleges and universities as private school graduates. Other chapters examine more closely the prevalent belief in the superiority of Hawai‘i’s private schools and its impact on students, parents, and teachers. Bayer argues that it is important to understand this belief system and how both newcomers and longtime residents are exposed to it given its influence on parental decisions about schooling. Finally, she returns to interviews with parents for suggestions on how to improve public education in Hawai‘i and to address the question "Why should we care about the public school system?" Responses spark frank discussions on the broader implications for the civic and economic health of a community fragmented by two-tiered schooling. Candid and insightful, Going Against the Grain provides a much-needed look at education in Hawai‘i. It will be essential reading for parents, teachers, administrators, legislators, policy makers, and others interested in promoting and supporting public education and understanding its role in a democracy.