A Government and Its People
For this assignment, you will choose any one of the numerous Great Society programs that were initiated during the 1960s. These programs signaled a significant change in the relationship between the citizen and government. In this assignment, you will define that change in relationship, analyze one program, and propose changes that will make this program more successful.
THE PROGRAM I WOULD LIKE TO WRITE ABOUT IS :
Head Start and Education Reform
To empower parents and make sure every child had a shot of success in life no matter their social or economic circumstances, Johnson, politician and activist Sargent Shriver, and a team of child development experts launched Project Head Start.
The Head Start program started as an eight-week summer camp run by the Office of Economic Opportunity for 500,000 children ages three to five. Since the program’s inception, it has served over 32 million vulnerable children in America.
Education reform was also a key part of the Great Society. In 1965, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was passed. It guaranteed federal funding for education in school districts whose student majority was low-income. It also:
funded preschool programs
supported school libraries
purchased school textbooks
provided special education services
Before starting this assignment, view the “Great Society” video on the following website:
Part One (2–3 pages):
In part one you will explore the overall scope and context of the Great Society legislation, and then you will focus on one specific program and its impact from the 1960s to today.
Describe the Great Society initiative in general including the historical and social context of the early 1960s
Describe how this initiative changed the relationship between people and the government
Choose one element of the Great Society legislation
Explain the intent of this program
Fully describe this program and show (with data) any impact of this program from the 1960s to today.
Part Two (1–2 pages):
In part two you will write a letter to any one of your national representatives. You can choose to write either the Senator or Congressperson who represents your community. You can find your representative at https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members.
Introduce yourself and state why you are writing the letter
Briefly describe the Great Society program you have chosen and show any impact the program has made using the data from part one
Sample Solution
