A Study Of Single-sex Education In Contemporary American Public Schools

In the United States, the public schools have been a symbol of democracy and equality all the time. It is a distinctive feature that boys and girls in American public schools learning in the same schools. It is also the best embodiment that the men and women who enjoy equal access to education and education in democracy and equality. Single-sex education is mostly implemented in mission schools and private schools. As the changing of society and times, the wave that implemented single-sex education in public schools has risen gradually in the United States since 90s of 20th century. October 24th, 2006, the Federal Ministry of Education announced a new policy that would allow public schools have more liberty to educate boys and girls apart, so that schools or classes could select more easily to teach male or female students only. After the announcement, the heated debates whether implemented single-sex education in American public schools reappeared. The revival of American single-sex education of the day embodied changes in American concept of equality. Although it faces many problems and challenges, its ideas and practice are worth to study and draw lessons from.The thesis is divided into four parts:The first chapter traces the development of U.S. single-sex education course and present state of development. Before the 19th century, the traditional single-sex education was mainly implemented in the private and mission schools. From 19th century to the 20th century in the sixties and seventies, single-sex education was waning gradually due to economic factors, the feminist movement, equal thoughts etc., and co-education in public schools has become a major form of education. Since the 90s of the 20th century, the upsurge of single-sex education in the public schools revives. But present single-sex education and the traditional single-sex education is quite different in essence.The second chapter discourses the ideas which single-sex education that is implemented in American public schools must be followed contemporarily. This chapter also discourses the changes of policies during the development of single-sex education. Specific ideas reflect the democratization of education, diversity of education, compensation of education, gender equity in education deals and changes of concepts in education. Policies and regulations include the "Education Amendment Act", "No Child Left Behind," "proposed terms" and proposed items issued by the U.S. Department of Education. The third chapter discusses the conflict, controversy and consensus single-sex education in American public schools of the day. It reveals the conflicts that exist within the constitutionalists and feminist camps, the debates between different schools and their consensus.The forth chapter analyzes the challenges that single-sex education in American public schools challenge are facing and the factors that will influence the future development. In this part we will illustrate the challenges that contemporary single-sex education in American public schools are facing and will detail the factors that affect its future development from two aspect that the emprical ambiguity and the results of California ethnographic qualitative study.