EDUCATIONAL REFORM PART IX: From Entry-Level to Executives: America's Education Crisis Demands Immediate Attention
US students are falling further behind the rest of the world. Politicians don’t seem to have noticed. -Michael Bloomberg
WHERE IS AMERICAN EDUCATION NOW?
Who am I to tell America’s education story? I’ve lived it in my own way, spending 65 years immersed in the world of education—19 years as a kindergarten-collegiate student with two degrees in education and 46 years as an educator. Imagine my life as a video scrapbook: hiding under my desk during elementary school, preparing for the atom bomb drill; learning in junior high that even the president of the United States isn’t immune to violence in full public view; witnessing America’s rebirth of human rights in the riots of the '60s during high school; protesting the Vietnam War in college; teaching bright, innocent young minds as an elementary school teacher; stepping between two aggressive boys to defuse a fight as a middle school teacher; handling sleepless, irate parents sending scathing emails as a high school teacher; and finally, witnessing firsthand the evolution of gender fluidity and shifting pronouns as a college professor. I’ve been through it all—and I should probably have about 20 t-shirts to show for the journey.
In my research on the evolution of America’s educational system, I uncovered some particularly relevant insights for today’s students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Below, I’ve outlined a “then and now” comparison that highlights the decline of our education system over time.
Teachers of the 20th century were expected to have a strong moral compass, whereas many educators today seem to lack one. Today, teachers are often empowered by state and federal authorities to assume roles traditionally held by parents, particularly in matters of child-rearing. Some use their classrooms as platforms to promote gender fluidity and sexualize children before they even reach puberty. If you believe in a higher power who established laws for humanity’s well-being, you may see the shift in American education from a God-centered approach to a godless one. And how’s that working out?
In the past, high moral standards were expected of students, whereas today, a lack of moral standards has become the norm in many public schools. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, during the 2021-2022 school year, 67 percent of public schools reported at least one incident of crime. About 71 percent of public high/secondary schools reported at least one incident of distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs. Schools are no longer safe when students feel empowered to harm their peers or even teachers. The absence of a moral code directly contributes to the chaos we see today.
In the 1600s and 1700s, educational inequality was determined by factors like region, race, gender, and social class. Today, unfortunately, that inequality still persists. If you live in a liberal city, are part of an oppressed race, identify as non-binary, and come from a lower social class, there's a good chance you're attending a failing school. For example, Baltimore Public Schools have zero students proficient in math, and over 21,000 students in Chicago Public Schools are being left behind in failing schools. In my next blog, I’ll dive deeper into how cities run by Democrats are failing to properly educate their children.
The pedagogy model for Teachers' Colleges that shaped education in the 20th century had been in place for nearly 100 years, whereas the 21st century has seen a lack of teacher preparation in strategies suited for today's screen-addicted students. According to a report from the National Council on Teacher Quality, most states "haven’t done enough to prepare new teachers for the higher standards their students are expected to meet," as highlighted in an article on DailySignal.com. As U.S. News states, America's teacher preparation system is broken.
Twenty-five years ago (1998), there were clear consequences for poor achievement, with principals and teachers held accountable. Students who didn’t meet expectations were detained, and high school seniors couldn’t graduate unless they met standardized goals set by state legislatures. In stark contrast, when I left the teaching world seven years ago, consequences were virtually nonexistent. If a parent demanded a higher grade, administration would often raise it, even if the teacher disagreed. Cheating was widespread, with little intervention from either teachers or administration. Disruptive students were sent back to class after receiving only a meaningless verbal reprimand. Many parents refused to allow their children to be corrected or disciplined. Administrators either didn’t know how to support their staff or simply chose not to.
WHERE IS AMERICAN EDUCATION GOING?
Downward and in a hurry! According to Jon Guttman, Research Director of HistoryNet: As recently as 20 years ago, the United States was ranked No.1 in high school and college education.
In 2009, the United States was ranked 18th out of 36 industrialized nations. Over that time, complacency and inefficiency, reflective of lower priorities in education, and inconsistencies among the various school systems contributed to a decline. Concurrent with any even minor decline in American education, one has to consider the ambitious increases in education among the countries that have surpassed it. Another factor is the diversity of people entering the American educational melting pot. The top three leaders in general education, Finland, Japan and South Korea, have relatively smaller and much more homogeneous populations, making it easier to maintain a consistent standard.
If you would like to see your state’s educational report card, here is the link: The Nation’s Report Card.
TWO SOLUTIONS
SCHOOL CHOICE
This is from USA Today:
Christopher N. Ruszkowski Opinion contributor
Survey after survey shows bipartisan public support for school choice policies, notably among families with the most at stake in our education system. And while some fellow educators and I may still have reservations about nontraditional choice ideas, we have a responsibility to listen to what many families and communities are saying.
According to a survey of likely 2020 voters, Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) found that 81% of voters — including 81% of Democratic primary voters and 89% of Black Democratic primary voters — support expanding “access to more choices and options within the public school system, including magnet schools, career academies and public charter schools.”
A recent EdChoice public opinion survey found that 78% of Democrats agreed with 78% of Republicans and 77% of independents in favoring education savings accounts, which let families access money usually funneled to school districts to spend on education-related expenses for their child. Current school parents were 85% in favor of ESAs, as were 78% of African Americans and 79% of Hispanic respondents.
Whether it’s school choice or the voucher system, both spark intense debates. The central question remains: would these systems drain public schools of essential funding? The short answer is "yes." Could it push public schools to become more competitive? Again, yes. For too long, public schools have neglected upgrading their technology, hiring effective teachers, fostering strong leadership, and addressing deteriorating facilities. Without competition, the drive to improve becomes stagnant and eventually fades away.
America must stop neglecting her children, whose future appears grim unless the education system is freed from complacency. The time to act is now, and the actions are clear:
Legislate school choice and/or the voucher system in all states.
Simultaneously, improve educational delivery through better teacher preparation at the university level.
Ensure all schools are equipped with essential resources like Wi-Fi, computers, clean facilities, books, and supplies.
Properly vet administrators and school boards.
Mandate immediate consequences for schools that fail to succeed.
Stop teaching ideologies like socialism and refocus on preparing children for a 21st-century America built on achievement and competition.
BUSINESS MODEL APPROACH
Perhaps it’s time for our public schools to adopt a more business-like model where survival is based on merit, not on federal and state funding propping up the weakest. The word "competition" has gained a negative connotation in today’s world, especially within the framework of socialism, where competition is neither encouraged nor valued. Is this the direction American education is headed? Unfortunately, the answer is likely "yes." The elimination of trophies, prizes, recognition, "winning," and even grading is the result of a society that embraces mediocrity in an attempt to make everyone feel good. But in doing so, American children have lost their place in a fast-moving world. According to Business Insider, the U.S. now ranks 27th in global education.
In the 20th century, high schools were designed to prepare students for real-life pursuits. In my high school, we were required to learn typing, participate in home economics, take shop class, and study basic accounting in business classes.
Business Model of Education Explained
December 21, 2024 | By Hitesh Bhasin | Filed Under: Business
The business model of education revolves around different processes of facilitating learning or procuring skills, knowledge, beliefs, habits, or values. Education is indeed one of the basic needs of man. There is hardly any chance of earning a living without proper education.
Need for a Good Business Model of Education
In the initial school years, the students take education for teaching fundamental moral values. The education they receive is aimed at making them better as human beings.
High school education is aimed at professional expertise. Students learn the skills which can help them earn a living and be the breadwinners for their families. The technological and professional trends keep on changing. Concerning technology, there are constant changes and upgrades. These changes demand changes in the business model, as well.
The current business model should be efficient. The education imparted through this model should help the students sustain themselves in the professional world. The students gain technical competence as well as the ability to mitigate the risks of vulnerability.
The Resurgence of 'Shop Class' in American High Schools
From the 1990s through the 2010s, most traditional “shop classes” disappeared from middle schools and high schools across the U.S. — one of the many issues that helped create today’s skilled labor shortage in metalworking and CNC machine shops. Here’s one solution that deserves more attention.
While "shop class" is not as prevalent as it once was, it is still taught in many high schools today, though it's now typically called "Career and Technical Education (CTE)" and focuses on providing hands-on training in technical skills like woodworking, metalworking, and welding, aiming to address the growing need for skilled tradespeople; essentially, the concept of shop class is still present, but with a more modern approach and name.
The “roots” to success are multifaceted. Our schools must create a rich environment that nurtures our children into the leaders of tomorrow. Without this foundational approach to education, success for our children will be short-lived, our country will struggle to compete on the global stage, and the future of our world order could be at risk. Educational reform is the crucial step needed to secure a better future for all.
Why isn't the failure of the American educational system being treated as a crisis? When will the federal government hold states with failing schools accountable? Are state legislators even aware of their schools' inability to properly educate the next generation of voters and leaders?
My ten-part series is nearing its conclusion, with the final installment coming soon: Education Reform Part X: Elected Officials Must Stop Pretending Failing Grades Are Passing Grades. Authoring this series has been a labor of love, a work in progress, and the culmination of decades of experience as a teacher. Our fiery passion and commitment to advocating for a better educational system in America can never be extinguished by the naysayers—otherwise known as politicians.
If you missed the previous blogs, please take time to peruse them now: