US Education Compared to Other Developed Nations
Compared to other nations United States spends more per student; however the average science and math score of U.S. students lagged behind. A number of nations are doing a better job than the US in getting young people through school. The United States is falling when it comes to international education rankings.
See this link for a full report of a study done by OECD.
Joe mentioned in his comment that his daughter out performed her classmates in a public school after attending private school for four years. My son also went to private school for a while and then public. The differences between the two are enormous; from the quality of the education, to the way the children are required to dress and attitude of the school’s staff. US education system substantially favors those who can afford the best schools and who can afford to go to college. Then, the US economy holds the largest rewards for those who have graduated from college, and the biggest penalties for those who do not complete high school, providing few outlets or second chances to cross that gap upon leaving school. Other developed countries appear to be rapidly expanding their university-educated, but without the education spending and income disparities of the US.
I believe it’s important to provide quality education to the entire American people and not just a few who can afford it. We’re hearing a lot these days about the coming shortage of skilled workers. The world is changing and we need an education system to produce the knowledge workers needed to compete in a digitized global economy.
Here’s an article on why the US must reform education in order to compete in the world: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_/ai_n21075798
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)
This act was signed by President Bush aiming to improve the performance of US primary and secondary schools by increasing the standards of accountability for states, school districts, and schools their children will attend.
v Each state was to create assessments that measures what children know and learn in reading and math in grades 3-8. Student progress and achievement are measured according to tests that are given to every child, every year.
v NCLB is to empower parents, citizens, educators, administrators and policymakers with data from those annual assessments. The data will be available in annual report cards on school performance and on statewide progress reports. They will give parents information about the quality of their children’s schools, the qualifications of teachers, and their children’s progress in key subjects.
v NCLB offered most local school districts in America the freedom to transfer up to 50 percent of the federal dollars they receive among several education programs without separate approval. NCLB gave local school officials serving rural schools and districts more flexibility and a greater say in how federal funds are used in their schools. NCLB was to create meaningful options for parents whose children are trapped in failing schools and make these options available:
1. Public School Choice: Parents with children in failing schools would be allowed to transfer their child to a better-performing public or charter school immediately after a school is identified as failing.
2. Supplemental Services: Federal Title I funds (approximately $500 to $1,000 per child) can be used to provide supplemental educational services – including tutoring, after school services, and summer school programs – for children in failing schools.
3. Charter Schools: NCLB expands federal support for charter schools by giving parents, educators and interested community leaders greater opportunities to create charter schools.
v In addition to specific funds for teacher quality, NCLB gave local schools new freedom to make spending decisions with up to 50 percent of the non-Title I funds they receive. With this new freedom, local school districts were able to use additional funds for hiring new teachers, increasing teacher pay, improving teacher training and development or other uses.
Link to complete information on the No Child Left Behind Act: http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml
Since the No Child Left Behind law took effect it has had a sweeping impact on U.S. public school classrooms. It affects what students are taught, the tests they take, the training of their teachers and the way money is spent on education.
Debate rages over whether the law is an effective way to improve academic achievement. Click here to see the critics’ arguments: http://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/4439
Obama’s views on education
Obama states he plans to reform the No Child Left Behind Act, invest in early education and make college affordable. Listen to what Obama has to say:
Do you think the values and cultures of this country affect the education system? How?
What do you think can be done to encourage higher academic achievement among students?
If we are less competitive educationally, will be become less competitive economically?
What changes would you recommend to the No Child Left Behind Act?
What do you think about Obama’s video on education?
I went to a public elementary school for nine years and shifted over to a private high school for an additional four years. I have to admit: I hardly ever got any homework in elementary school, barely took an exam here and there, had no idea about comprehensive learning, and I passed all the way through.
When I entered a private high school, I was in for something else. I had to discipline myself to actually do homework because that’s not something I was taught. I had to remind myself that school was indeed about learning and getting an education and not simply passing through the skin of my teeth.
It was hard at first, but I eventually disciplined myself enough and I excelled academically. I liked high school. I learned a lot. So with that said, there is definitely, and will always be, a difference between public and private schools. It’s just the way it is. Sadly, the more money you can pony up for your child’s education, the better he will be educated… usually.
The NCLB act is ridiculous in every sense of the word. I studied this act vehemently in one of my educational classes and have never been more disgusted with of any Bush’s policies than I have with this one. It should definitely be reformed. I don’t know what changes I would personally make, but I think Obama (thankfully) has a good plan at hand. It has not proven to be effective within this past couple of years.
Culture, I believe, is very important and determinative for everything. I remember during my grammar school years in Ecuador, the educative system demanded a lot more to which we had to comply. Although stricter and sometimes closed minded (prioritized unimportant things, such as not having the right pair of socks would lower your overall grade), we did learn tremendously through something our education lacks of –respect.
I went to a private catholic school and came here for 6th grade. It was ironic because even though I knew more than my classmates (excluding English because I knew none of) the school wanted to put me in 4th grade just because I didn’t know how to speak English and they were afraid I would not catch up in time!! Imagine that!
Instead and still struggling with the language I received a diploma for being the best at math.
Another thing I want to mention before I make my point is that they way I was brought up (in my family but also in school) were that I must respect my teachers. Thus, I not only respected them but was afraid to be rude or inconsiderate. In our culture, rude kids were not seen as “cool” by society or by classmates/friends. In contrast, here the most outrageous (whatever that may include) is seen as outgoing and cool (at least that’s how they were viewed in my school).
Yet that moral didn’t last long for me. I fell into the system and during my middle school and especially all throughout high school years I misbehaved and disrespected many teachers. I felt I was better and they couldn’t do anything to stop me. Most importantly I knew they wouldn’t do anything to me physically (hit me) or call my parents.
The problem is that is virtually impossible to be on top of all students in a public school. Thus, I believe many students take advantage since they know that there’s not a solid communication bond between the teacher and the parent like there would be in a private institution.
Students misbehave, and as Prof. Shalan suggested, the once euphoric teacher begins to lose motivation to teach. Thus, the following students don’t get a valid education and some end up misbehaving also. A vicious cycle that is very hard to cease.
A major problem I see is that we tend to protect everyone tooooo much!… I don’t think hitting is the solution either but giving the teacher more power will help control students behavior.
Also, not everyone is a good test taker. Thus, a standardize test will not serve as the best option to proving their knowledge in the subject. Maybe if there were other options, such as projects or other type of activities where a student can demonstrate his/her abilities, the scores will be different.
We need to invest more money in preparing our teachers more adequately for today’s demands and update our teaching styles so these too will be used to be more effectively in the classrooms. Everyone has a different type of leaning method. Thus, we should encourage teachers to use different styles.
Finding the right drive in order to motivate the child will help keep the child behaved and the teacher motivated.
I think everything is interconnected with each other. Culture plays into everything. The big income gap between working people in the U.S. plays an important role on the quality of the educational system today. Rich people don’t send their children to public but private school because of the quality difference between them. So rich children get a better education -> better jobs ->better income -> send their kids to private school,…
Poor children get a poor education which mean they don’t reach or strive for their full potential -> lower paid jobs -> their kids go to public schools,…. -> cycle continues.
It’s important to make public education better, more efficient and more successful to break that cycle. Every child deserves the same opportunity to choose his/her path.
I like Obama’s approach on education. I think he has some good ideas and I hope he’ll prioritize them. Education is important for the youth today and the future of the country. Because after all kids are the future of this country.