OUTLINE SEMINAR 3

Group members: Nguyen Mai Chi, Nguyen Tran Phuong Anh, Ha Minh Anh, Truong Khanh Linh,
Vy Le Ngoc
Class: QH2021.E8
1. Key information about and synopsis of the movie (Waiting for ‘Superman’)
a. Key Information.
● Released: 2010
● Director: Davis Guggenheim
● Genre: Documentary
● Running time: 107 minutes
● Awards: Won the Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival, nominated for an Academy
Award
b. Synopsis of the movie (Waiting for ‘Superman’)
● Personal Stories
● Education System Critique
● Charter Schools and Reform
● Call for Change
2. Main Arguments about Charter Schools in "Waiting for Superman" + Assessment:
- Appear as an alternative method.
- Provide better qualifications → Without tracking, students may feel that they are treated
equally and have more opportunities.
- Be the best solution for students with poorer economic backgrounds
- Some flaws exist at charter schools.
→ Assessment:
● Some flaws still exist in charter schools
● In fact, charter schools are still somewhat different from the movie’s perspective
3. Purposes of education, the crisis state of education, and No Child Left Behind
● Purposes of education:
- To get a career: Children can find a job while dropping out of school, but in order to achieve
“a career”, they need proper education.
- Save the future of the United States.
● The crisis state of education:
- Socio-economic inequality
- “Dropout factories”
● No Child Left Behind:
- What is NCLB?
+ NCLB held schools accountable for how kids learn and achieve. It did this through
annual testing, reporting, improvement targets, and penalties for schools.
- The purpose of NCLB:
+ Was expected to be the savior of Education reform.
+ Pledged that 100% of kids would be reading and doing math at grade level within ten
years.
- The effects of NCLB:
In 2010: 8 years after Congress passed the No Child Left Behind act, the test scores look
ominous:
+ Math proficiency: Only 14% of Mississippi students, 30% of New York students, and
24% of California kids.
+ Read at grade level: Nationwide, only 20-34 percent of kids in the US.
+ International tests: American children rank 25th in math and 21st in science.
In 2015: “NCLB” was replaced by the Every Student Succeeds Act.
 4. Comparisons between the different types of primary or secondary educational institutions
(state school, private school, and charter school)
● Factors make them different:

Factor Public school Private school Charter school (Public school of

choice)

Funding ( a Funded by gov taxes Funded by tuition and Receive public funds but operating
key element) ( with revenue from private donations, independently (privately
federal, state and local sometimes grant money managed).
gov)
+ State gov: up to half of
a district’s funding w
revenue: income and
property taxes
+ Local gov: large
portion: property tax
revenue
+ Federal gov: 10%

Governance Typically governed by a Often have a board of Operate independently but are
structures school board elected by trustees or owners who accountable to an authorizing
the community or make key decisions body, following a charter or
appointed by officials. contract outlining their goals and
methods.
=> They are usually founded by
parents, teachers or community
organizations.

Admission Open for all residents Typically involves several Select students based on a random
criteria within a district despite common steps: Application, public lottery, but priority is given
their enrollment Entrance exam, Interview, to those who reside in the same
numbers and test scores. state as the school. Parents from
Recommendations
other states can still register their
child if space permits.

Aims Provide a standardized Emphasize a more Still accountable to certain

education that adhere to individualized/ specialized
state/ national approach, with some having
curriculum standards
a focus on specific academic
or extracurricular areas
academic standards, often have
more flexibility in their curriculum
and teaching methods.
=> Offer innovative and diverse
educational options within the
framework of their charter
agreement.

Eg: Some charters may have a

unique focus, such as STEM
education, art or specific
pedagogical approach.

School Fee Do not have to pay The cost of attending a Do not have to pay tuition in
tuition in order to private school varies order to attend.
attend. from state to state and
 may range from about
$4,000 per year to
$25,000 or more,
depending on the
institution.

5. Comparisons between schools in affluent neighborhoods versus schools in poorer ones

In the movie In reality

Affluent Poorer Affluent Poorer

Fundings - High per-pupil funding
and - Advanced technology
Resources - Updated textbooks
- Specialized programs
- Low per-pupil funding
- Lack of basic resources
- Limited curriculum
offering
Similar to the film, Overcrowded
affluent schools receive classrooms, outdated
significantly higher per- facilities, and a lack of
pupil funding. basic resources like
clean textbooks and
working computers.

Teacher - Experienced and qualified - High teacher turnover rates Similar to the film There are dedicated
Quality teachers - Less experienced and passionate
and - Competitive salaries educators teachers working in
Support - Strong benefits - Limited professional all types of
- Professional development development opportunities schools.Teacher
opportunities residency programs
and targeted
recruitment efforts are
being implemented to
address teacher
shortages

Curriculu - Rigorous academic - Limited curriculum - Rigorous and diverse Some poorer schools
m and curriculum offerings curriculum have implemented
Academic - Advanced Placement (AP) - Emphasis on standardized innovative curricula
Rigor courses test preparation and programs that
- College preparatory - Lack of access to advanced prepare students for
programs course college and beyond
- Specialized learning
opportunities

Extracurri - Wide range of - Limited extracurricular - Similar to the film - Find alternatives:
cular extracurricular activities activities Community
Activities - Student support services - Limited student support partnerships,
and - Counseling programs services volunteer programs
Student - Academic support
Support
Overall - Higher test scores - Lower test scores - Higher test scores - There are still other
Impact on - Higher graduation rates - Higher dropout rates - Higher graduation rates factors affect students’
Student - Increased access to higher - Reduced access to higher - Better access to higher performance:
Outcomes education education education characteristics, family
support, and
community resources