US schools lay off hundreds of thousands

Re:US schools lay off hundreds of thousands by MattGaiser on Thursday June 04, 2020 @11:26PM (#23424794)

I see it as less about signaling and more about proof.

A long time ago, a high school diploma was rigorous enough that people actually failed. A significant number of people did not earn one. Now, I don't even know of a friend of a friend who has failed to earn one, even if they just kept on retaking the courses at relatively easy schools until they passed.

It isn't clear to me what holding a high school diploma indicates about a person anymore simply because nearly everyone gets one.

What does holding a high school diploma prove?

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Re:US schools lay off hundreds of thousands by satyrnein on Thursday June 04, 2020 @11:53PM (#23424930)

This is what the "signaling arms race" refers to.

The other model, human capital theory, says that a high school diploma proves that the student has acquired specific skills (algebra, European history, etc) and therefore built up human capital. Signaling theory says the specific skills are not the point.

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Re:US schools lay off hundreds of thousands by ikeyany on Friday June 05, 2020 @12:34AM (#23425108)

Signaling is synonymous with social proof in this context.

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