Description

Book Synopsis
In Diverse Families, Desirable Schools, Mira Debs offers a richly detailed study of public Montessori schools, which make up the largest group of progressive schools in the public sector. As public Montessori schools expand rapidly as alternatives to traditional public schools, the story of these schools, Debs points out, is a microcosm of the broader conflicts around public school choice.

Drawing on historical research, interviews with public Montessori educators, and ethnographic case studies, Debs explores the forces that pull intentionally diverse, progressive schools toward elitism. At the heart of Debs's book is a thoughtful analysis of the notion of ""fit"" between parents and schools—an idea that is central to school choice, which is often marketed as an opportunity for parents to find the perfect fit for their kids. By exploring parents' varied motivations in choosing these schools and observing how families experience—or fail to experience—a ""good fit"" after having chosen a particular school, Debs makes an original contribution to the literature on school choice and sheds light on the dilemmas entailed in maintaining diversity in progressive charter and magnet schools.

Diverse Families, Desirable Schools: Public

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    A Paperback / softback by Mira Debs

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      Book details

      Publisher Harvard Educational Publishing Group
      Published 30 April 2019
      ISBN-13 9781682533079
      978-1682533079
      ISBN-10 1682533077
      Also in:
      Educational administration and organization Moral and social purpose of education Philosophy and theory of education

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      In Diverse Families, Desirable Schools, Mira Debs offers a richly detailed study of public Montessori schools, which make up the largest group of progressive schools in the public sector. As public Montessori schools expand rapidly as alternatives to traditional public schools, the story of these schools, Debs points out, is a microcosm of the broader conflicts around public school choice.

      Drawing on historical research, interviews with public Montessori educators, and ethnographic case studies, Debs explores the forces that pull intentionally diverse, progressive schools toward elitism. At the heart of Debs's book is a thoughtful analysis of the notion of ""fit"" between parents and schools—an idea that is central to school choice, which is often marketed as an opportunity for parents to find the perfect fit for their kids. By exploring parents' varied motivations in choosing these schools and observing how families experience—or fail to experience—a ""good fit"" after having chosen a particular school, Debs makes an original contribution to the literature on school choice and sheds light on the dilemmas entailed in maintaining diversity in progressive charter and magnet schools.

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