Schooling in Jamaica and the US uses a comparative education framework to discuss important issues related to access, teacher quality, and achievement in elementary and secondary education systems. Students will visit Jamaican and US schools to observe how stakeholders in each context think about and address concerns related to academic achievement. The course presentations, lectures, and discussions will focus on how culture, language, race and class affect students’ educational priorities and opportunities in two different national contexts. Students will articulate and grapple with cultural and ethical challenges facing Jamaican and US schools while exploring the underlying social, political and cultural dynamics that create these concerns.