I had a great discussion concerning the nation's education system with a friend. She had some great solutions in mind that I agreed with and together we came up with some ideas about improving national education. The amount of research that I conducted after this discussion could not amount to my own personal experience being a product of the nation's public education system. So, to start off I looked back to my experiences to help generate some ideas. I received a great education at my elementary school (P.S. 103 in the Bronx). I learned all the basics and was very excited about school in general. I also had parents who were involved and had the mindset that education does not end outside of school. My free time was mainly spent studying basic math and English with my parents. My mom always pushed me to study hard and master the material from school so that I could go anywhere for college and become successful. Paying for college was not an issue because I was trained to excel in education so that college finances will be covered through merit based rewards. When I entered fourth grade, New York State issued standardized exams that judged your understanding of reading and math and ultimately decided your promotion to the next grade. I remember struggling at times, but quickly making sure I learn the necessary material to advance. Exams were a wake up call to stay on track with my education. Class sizes in elementary school were average (about 20 students per teacher), but this number gradually increased as the neighborhood population soared and more children attended the school. In fifth grade we were given the option to attend a Prep School or Arts School for Junior High School. Some applied for the Prep School and attended with government remained in P.S. 103 where they were educated in small class sizes and given another chance to reapply with the same options for Junior High School (at the normal 6th grade entrance). A larger number of students were accepted into the Arts and Prep schools, whereas the few remaining students went on to the local public Junior High School. This was when I began to understand the workings of the public school system. As I progressed through High School, the issue of over crowded schools became intense and I always remembered how my elementary school in the undiscovered corner of the Bronx tackled the issue very well. If this strategy were implemented on a state or even national scale... imagine the outcome. More students will be concerned and motivated about their education with hopes of advancing to greater schools that were once thought of as financially impossible. Through my research, I discovered that this system exist across the nation. Its called the "Voucher System" and its a popular topic in Utah (referendum 1). Statistics show that Utah taxpayers spend about $7,500 to educate each child; 50% comes from state funding, 34% from property taxes, and 8% from federal funding. With overcrowding on the rise, government is faced with a serious economic problem of allocating enough funding for resources to accommodate these extra students. The quick solution could be to simply raise taxes, but why should residents suffer an overall problem when the problem lies within the individual student? There is a conflict between struggling, average, and gifted students. No Child Left Behind ( a legislation put forth by President Bush) increases funding for struggling schools to aid students who are behind according to
national standards from state exams. I am confused as to how this helps the overcrowding issue and places attention on helping students. This is a bill that needs serious reform. I say, keep the title because in general,
no child should be left behind. The program should focus on choices; give students and parents the power in deciding what is the best alternative for their education. Integrating all levels under one public umbrella is shifting focus and resulting in poor results. Thus, leaving our nation's students
behind. The students who want to go elsewhere should use a portion already allocated for them through publican education funding for a private alternative. After all, the lump sum of funding already given by the public is a free voucher. Why not issue a voucher with choice to students who wish to advance their education and leave a system that is failing them. When these students are aware that this option exist they will most likely try hard to receive the best education they can to score well in admission to private schools, therefore reducing class sizes in public schools and increasing funding for the remaining children in the public schools by using the left over amount unused by the student going elsewhere. This will also increase teacher salaries in both sectors of education and provide them with the resources they need to help students advance so that they can try again and put their vouchers to use. Studies show that the remaining students in smaller class sizes will do well in a focused environment dedicated to educating everyone on a personalized level. Some, including myself were concerned about private expenses (wondering if the voucher is enough to cover these students). On average, tuition for grades one through three is around 15,000. In Utah, the individual student will be given 3,000 out of their allocated 7,500 public fund for tuition aid (voucher). This of course will be backed with extra government grants, private aid, merit based scholarships, need based aid etc. As for the public system, schools will keep the extra 4,500 unused by this student to help the remaining students on a smaller scale get to the same position in education and ultimately advance from that point on. This is how I see No Child Left Behind working. We increase choices, limit complaining, and placing an end to failure in our education system. We need to focus on preventing the spoiling of our nation's kindergartners each year. We fail a generation each time we continue to use this same system of failure. Its time we give the next set of students a chance to learn with a choice. It begins in grade school, (full of children eager to learn, just as we all were) by providing them with the message on day one that failure is not an option and no child will be left behind. Stand by our words and ensure that America will continue to be prosperous with the most educated citizens that can compete based on merit which stems from good character and motivation to succeed.
I had a great discussion concerning the nation's education system with a friend. She had some great solutions in mind that I agreed with and together we came up with some ideas about improving national education. The amount of research that I conducted after this discussion could not amount to my own personal experience being a product of the nation's public education system. So, to start off I looked back to my experiences to help generate some ideas. I received a great education at my elementary school (P.S. 103 in the Bronx). I learned all the basics and was very excited about school in general. I also had parents who were involved and had the mindset that education does not end outside of school. My free time was mainly spent studying basic math and English with my parents. My mom always pushed me to study hard and master the material from school so that I could go anywhere for college and become successful. Paying for college was not an issue because I was trained to excel in education so that college finances will be covered through merit based rewards. When I entered fourth grade, New York State issued standardized exams that judged your understanding of reading and math and ultimately decided your promotion to the next grade. I remember struggling at times, but quickly making sure I learn the necessary material to advance. Exams were a wake up call to stay on track with my education. Class sizes in elementary school were average (about 20 students per teacher), but this number gradually increased as the neighborhood population soared and more children attended the school. In fifth grade we were given the option to attend a Prep School or Arts School for Junior High School. Some applied for the Prep School and attended with government remained in P.S. 103 where they were educated in small class sizes and given another chance to reapply with the same options for Junior High School (at the normal 6th grade entrance). A larger number of students were accepted into the Arts and Prep schools, whereas the few remaining students went on to the local public Junior High School. This was when I began to understand the workings of the public school system. As I progressed through High School, the issue of over crowded schools became intense and I always remembered how my elementary school in the undiscovered corner of the Bronx tackled the issue very well. If this strategy were implemented on a state or even national scale... imagine the outcome. More students will be concerned and motivated about their education with hopes of advancing to greater schools that were once thought of as financially impossible. Through my research, I discovered that this system exist across the nation. Its called the "Voucher System" and its a popular topic in Utah (referendum 1). Statistics show that Utah taxpayers spend about $7,500 to educate each child; 50% comes from state funding, 34% from property taxes, and 8% from federal funding. With overcrowding on the rise, government is faced with a serious economic problem of allocating enough funding for resources to accommodate these extra students. The quick solution could be to simply raise taxes, but why should residents suffer an overall problem when the problem lies within the individual student? There is a conflict between struggling, average, and gifted students. No Child Left Behind ( a legislation put forth by President Bush) increases funding for struggling schools to aid students who are behind according to
national standards from state exams. I am confused as to how this helps the overcrowding issue and places attention on helping students. This is a bill that needs serious reform. I say, keep the title because in general, no child should be left behind. The program should focus on choices; give students and parents the power in deciding what is the best alternative for their education. Integrating all levels under one public umbrella is shifting focus and resulting in poor results. Thus, leaving our nation's students behind. The students who want to go elsewhere should use a portion already allocated for them through publican education funding for a private alternative. After all, the lump sum of funding already given by the public is a free voucher. Why not issue a voucher with choice to students who wish to advance their education and leave a system that is failing them. When these students are aware that this option exist they will most likely try hard to receive the best education they can to score well in admission to private schools, therefore reducing class sizes in public schools and increasing funding for the remaining children in the public schools by using the left over amount unused by the student going elsewhere. This will also increase teacher salaries in both sectors of education and provide them with the resources they need to help students advance so that they can try again and put their vouchers to use. Studies show that the remaining students in smaller class sizes will do well in a focused environment dedicated to educating everyone on a personalized level. Some, including myself were concerned about private expenses (wondering if the voucher is enough to cover these students). On average, tuition for grades one through three is around 15,000. In Utah, the individual student will be given 3,000 out of their allocated 7,500 public fund for tuition aid (voucher). This of course will be backed with extra government grants, private aid, merit based scholarships, need based aid etc. As for the public system, schools will keep the extra 4,500 unused by this student to help the remaining students on a smaller scale get to the same position in education and ultimately advance from that point on. This is how I see No Child Left Behind working. We increase choices, limit complaining, and placing an end to failure in our education system. We need to focus on preventing the spoiling of our nation's kindergartners each year. We fail a generation each time we continue to use this same system of failure. Its time we give the next set of students a chance to learn with a choice. It begins in grade school, (full of children eager to learn, just as we all were) by providing them with the message on day one that failure is not an option and no child will be left behind. Stand by our words and ensure that America will continue to be prosperous with the most educated citizens that can compete based on merit which stems from good character and motivation to succeed.
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