Personalizing Education: How to examine the Race, Class, and Socio-economic disparities in public education

Schenectady Public Schools have garnered a lot of media attention as well as scrutiny from parents and residents for low-performance on the New York State Regents exam. While fiscal constraints make it difficult for the school to serve the students, there is also a tremendous culture clash which exists within the school. Some students are able to navigate the hallways and the opportunities provided by the school are able to do well, where other students simply fail to attend school on a regular basis. Through the understanding of Pierre Bourdieu’s notion of cultural capital and habitus, the students who do well, have developed and are inculcated with values that directly align with the values that Schenectady High pushes. On the contrary, those students who perform poorly are not solely to blame for their performance, rather it is the rigidity and inflexibility of the school, district, and state requirements. Through the vehicle of Operation Graduation, Schenectady High School’s respite and credit recovery program, I argue that the teachers in this intimate setting serve as cultural brokers for the students and attempt to navigate the boundary between the students and the state. The teachers offer a perspective for the students to foster a community of support where they are no longer individuals, but part of a larger network of students. While this notion manifests itself in Operation Graduation, it exists in other pockets of the school. The personalized approach to education is well received, but its full effect can not be felt as the pressure of measured performance through the Regents exam hinders and stifles flexibility within the curriculum.