- Statement of significance of the topic area in current events.
- Education is the foundation of living in a Democracy. In a time where America is spreading the principles of Democracy around the globe we are neglecting education on the domestic front. Since the 1940’s the standards of the American Education system continually evolved, while proficiency standards are continually lowered to allow achievement by all. Educational achievement depends greatly on an individual’s capacity to learn, willingness to learn, and home environment and encouragement. Instead of educating the individual to be a better citizen, we are educating the individual to be able to take and pass tests. Tests are only one way to gauge academic achievement, and they are far from the most reliable. The passage of the No Child Left Behind legislation marked the embrace of the minimum proficiency standards, and thus institutionalized them into the American education system. While other countries around the world develop and evolve their educational systems to meet current demands, America continues to encourage a minimum level of achievement that does not even have a clear definition. The value of the High School Diploma was once high, as was the worth of a baccalaureate degree. Now most employers now prefer at least a Master’s level degree. Research on this topic could answer the question: ‘Has the expectation of the degree changed or has the actual educational level of the degree changed’.
- Statement of why the topic is interesting, challenging, and/or provocative:
- Many countries around the globe have educational systems that are surpassing America’s education system especially in areas such as engineering, mathematics, science, and technology. Concerning foreign language, most school districts still consider foreign language courses as electives. In a global economy Americans must emerge from our educational systems prepared to conduct business on the global level, or at the very least fully aware of the global market. Education is the foundation of life and enlightenment. It is the key to success and the door to the future. Technology is not being incorporated into the educational system at a fast enough rate to keep up with job field demands, and many graduate from high school without basic proficiency in computer skills. Now is the time to change the educational system to better fit the needs of our society and our world. While the cost of education continues to soar, more and more Americans are being excluded from receiving educational funding, and more and more graduates are saddled with tremendous debt due to the cost of education.
- State of the perceived educational value
- Where to begin? Education is the root to all understanding, and education is the only option that will bring lasting peace. Americans generally see the United States as the greatest country in the world, but if that were true we would place a higher value on our educational systems, from the bricks and mortar on up. Education is one of the largest expenditures in our Federal budget, so when it comes time to trim budgets, education suffers because it is operating at budgets that allow only for necessary updates. When education budget cuts are made, the future is undermined. Investing in education today is not an option, it is a necessity. America cannot continue to on its current path. No Child Left Behind is a game of numbers, and states can play with those numbers to manipulate reports and extract only that data of the top performers in each class. Changes must be made in the system, and these changes must have their focus on maximizing education for all Americans. We cannot continue to be satisfied with “satisfactory” performance.
- Bibliography
- Marketing Fear in America's Public Schools: The Real War On Literacy. Poynor, Leslie.; Wolfe, Paula M. Mahwah, NJ, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., 2005.
- “Growing unrest over NCLB”. American School Board Journal, Oct 2005, Vol. 192 Issue 10, p10, 1/2p
- “Should K-12 Students Be Required to Complete State-Sanctioned Minimum Skills Tests?” Messerli, Joe. 02 October 2003. http://www.balancedpolitics.org/school_testing.htm
- “No Child Left Behind”. United States Department of Education. 8 January 2002. Retrieved on 9 December 2005, http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml?src=pb .
- No Child Left Behind?: The Politics and Practice of School Accountability. Peterson, Paul E.; West, Martin R. Brookings Institution Press, November 2003.
- “Many Children Left Behind : How the No Child Left Behind Act Is Damaging Our Children and Our Schools.» Meier, Deborah; Wood, George. Beacon Press 29 September 2004.
- Education Association Services http://www.easnetwork.com/eas/Value_of_Education.asp
- The Value of Educational Technology; Apple Computers Inc. http://www.apple.com/it/education/pdfs/IDC.pdf#search='Educational%20Value'
- Possible Case Areas
- Change/Abolish No Child Left Behind
- USFG should Define Adequate Yearly Progress
- Educational Policy standards should be controlled at the state level.
- Eliminate minimum proficiency standards
- Allow/Encourage Charter School Development
- Allow more $$$ to be spent on school vouchers
- USFG should fund private schools at public school levels
- Change funding policies that directly effect educational spending
- All Students be required to take a Civic Education Course
- Allow federally funded home schooling through the internet
- Mandatory Implementation of High School Exit Exams
- Mandate the creation of Magnet Schools within school districts
- Students must complete civic aptitude test before graduation.
- Shift Focus on Vocational rather than the three R’s.
- Possible Resolutions:
- Resolved: That the United States Federal Government should significantly change it’s Education Policies.
- Resolved: That the United States Federal Government should alter the goal of it’s Education Policy.
- Resolved: That the United States Federal Government should alter it’s approach on it’s Education Policies.
- Resolved: That the United States Education Policy should be significantly changed.
- Resolved: That the USFG’s Public Educational policy should be changed.
- Resolved: That the USFG should relinquish control over educational policy back to the states.
- Resolved: That the USFG should grant greater control over educational policy and funding to the individual states.
- Resolved: That the USFG should alter it’s Educational Policies.
- Resolved: That the USFG should adopt a policy raise student achievement standards.
- Resolved: That the USFG should adopt a policy to change the American Education System.
- Resolved: That the USFG should change its Educational Policies to better prepare it’s citizens for Work, Life and Citizenship.
- Resolved: That the USFG should better define it’s educational objectives through the adoption of philosophy instead of a policy.
- Resolved: That the USFG should significantly alter it’s fundamental principles of Education.
Webmaster's note: Spelling and other grammatical errors not corrected.