Education Reform Proposal
The United States was the first country to proclaim that all children have a right to basic education. Although just one in ten children attended school in pre-revolutionary America, by the mid 19th century, most Americans had access to free public elementary and secondary schools. Throughout history, high expectations for what a good educational system could accomplish have been tempered by concerns about the quality and fairness of our nation’s schools.
Today, there are almost as many ideas about how to reform the United States' education system as there are people in the United States. Reformers address a wide range of issues. Critics propose different strategies to make the system fairer, more efficient, more challenging, more accessible, or more relevant. Since the inception of the United States' public school system, however, people have contended that our education system can be better. This process will afford you the opportunity to develop your own education reform ideas that can have a direct impact on Perry Local Schools.
Your task: Write a research-based Education Reform Proposal that can be implemented in Perry Local Schools.
A proposal that is PROFICIENT will...
Establish a clear, thorough and original thesis that presents your idea on how to reform education in our community.
Develop a strong argument by supplying relevant evidence, and will address the opposing viewpoint(s) fairly and thoroughly, addressing the strengths and limitations both.
Integrate relevant information from multiple authoritative print/digital/primary resources into the text to maintain a flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and over reliance on any one source, following a standard format for citation.
Demonstrate clear and coherent formal writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Milestone #1 (Monday 11/13)
Review Education Reform Proposal learning targets and "Path to your Proposal." Assess sample essays in your PSL notebook. Develop potential research question, and share via FlipGrid.
Milestone #2 (Wednesday 11/15 and Friday 11/17)
Clarify research questions. Gather and analyze resources (including primary sources). Create Google doc that documents your updated research question, interview and/or survey questions and details, and in-progress Works Cited page.
Milestone #3 (Monday, 11/17)
Develop working thesis, and draft introductory paragraph in class. Share with Mrs. Trentanelli via Google docs.
Milestone #4 Independent Work Time (Friday, 11/17-Monday, 11/27)
Based on email feedback from Mrs. Trentanelli, continue developing your paper by analyzing resources and drafting your proposal.
Milestone #5 (Monday, 11/27)
Draft research essay in class, and participate in 1:1 conferences with Mr. Soeder and Mrs. Trentanelli.
Milestone #6 (Wednesday, 11/29)
Review standards for citation and continue editing/revising process.
Milestone #7 (Friday, 12/1)
Create abstract that summarizes research paper and effectively captures thesis. Share via this Google form.
Milestone #8 (optional)
Participate in an additional 1:1 conference before/after school or during ICE between Wednesday November 29th and Monday, December 4th
Final Draft (Monday, 12/4)
Share final essay with Mrs. Trentanelli, and submit to Turnitin by midnight on Monday, December 4th.
Review Education Reform Proposal learning targets and "Path to your Proposal." Assess sample essays in your PSL notebook. Develop potential research question, and share via FlipGrid.
Milestone #2 (Wednesday 11/15 and Friday 11/17)
Clarify research questions. Gather and analyze resources (including primary sources). Create Google doc that documents your updated research question, interview and/or survey questions and details, and in-progress Works Cited page.
Milestone #3 (Monday, 11/17)
Develop working thesis, and draft introductory paragraph in class. Share with Mrs. Trentanelli via Google docs.
Milestone #4 Independent Work Time (Friday, 11/17-Monday, 11/27)
Based on email feedback from Mrs. Trentanelli, continue developing your paper by analyzing resources and drafting your proposal.
Milestone #5 (Monday, 11/27)
Draft research essay in class, and participate in 1:1 conferences with Mr. Soeder and Mrs. Trentanelli.
Milestone #6 (Wednesday, 11/29)
Review standards for citation and continue editing/revising process.
Milestone #7 (Friday, 12/1)
Create abstract that summarizes research paper and effectively captures thesis. Share via this Google form.
Milestone #8 (optional)
Participate in an additional 1:1 conference before/after school or during ICE between Wednesday November 29th and Monday, December 4th
Final Draft (Monday, 12/4)
Share final essay with Mrs. Trentanelli, and submit to Turnitin by midnight on Monday, December 4th.
Resources that might help you along the way include....
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue can help you with the MLA guidelines (paper set up, synthesizing quotes, crafting a Works Cited page) you need to apply within your paper.
The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina is a user-friendly collection of handouts that will help you with specific elements of your paper, from crafting a thesis statement to developing your academic voice.
PSL module on developing Primary Sources can clarify the details that you need to develop/implement surveys and interviews.
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue can help you with the MLA guidelines (paper set up, synthesizing quotes, crafting a Works Cited page) you need to apply within your paper.
The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina is a user-friendly collection of handouts that will help you with specific elements of your paper, from crafting a thesis statement to developing your academic voice.
PSL module on developing Primary Sources can clarify the details that you need to develop/implement surveys and interviews.