25th Education Report Anniversary?
‘A NATION AT RISK: THE IMPERATIVE FOR EDUCATIONAL REFORM’
It’s been 25 years since this report was published.
This report was ground-breaking, not only because it demonstrated the trouble U.S. public schools were headed for, but it did it in plain-spoken language, without pulling any punches. One major issue the report demonstrated was how dangerous failed schools are to our nation’s future and security.
Did the report do any good? Well, like everything else in the highly-politicized world of public education, no one agrees. In fact, the report has it’s proponents and it’s harsh critics.
In the intervening years, numerous attempts have been made to improve public education, but the results show year after year of miserable failures. Most recently, we had a nationwide reform program, the famous/infamous (depending on your viewpoint) NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND. Mandated testing and alleged accountability was implemented at great expense and yet our schools continue to deteriorate.
Drop-out rates are at an all-time high! Many graduates cannot read, write or perfom basic math adequately. Colleges and businesses spend billions of dollars in remediation for students and workers that cannot perform.
There are calls to eliminate the Department of Education and even eliminate public schools entirely. What a fiasco!
Some people advocate for vouchers, or privatization of public schools, or charter schools, or homeschooling. And the list goes on and on. Yet no one seems to want to work together for the good of students. Teachers unions want to eliminate homeschooling, the one technique that seems to be bringing good results.
Everybody wants to cover-up problems or “throw the baby out with the bath water”. Either approach is self-defeating.
I keep trying to tell people about a simple solution that could turn public schools around quickly. The Kingsland Plan has PROVEN answers. Why won’t people listen? Too many people have too much to lose if our schools become successful?
Twenty-five years this problem has been facing us and it keeps getting worse. What is it going to take to make Americans wake up and demand change?
Just wondering!
Brennan
Filed under: Education Reform
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