From First to Worst? The Quality of Our Education System

PART 1 of 2

The quality of our world’s future depends on the quality of education.

In the 21st century, there is nothing more important to individual opportunity and societies well being then education. In a free society, a self-governing society, education is essential. At a time when traditional jobs are disappearing into a raging sea of globalism and computerization, and when new jobs are being invented faster than the Labor Department can slap names on them, education is crucial. In an age when our leaders seem to have lost their common sense and, increasingly, their common decency; when the New Deal has become No Deal; and when the shining city on the hill is only shining because the lights of a new casino are on, education is the make-or-break factor of our future.

And, we are broken.

Only 25 years ago we were ranked number one in the world in education, today we’re 18th. (Behind Poland) (CBS News, Poor Marks for U.S. Education System) We spend more than $500 billion a year on K-12 grade education. And what do we get for our money? You know the answer. Our primary school education system is so broken and so bureaucratized that America’s fastest growing schools are home schools. Perhaps we should not be surprised at the quality of education we get with chronically low paid teachers who often have to buy school supplies for their students. It’s hard for teachers to concentrate when 40% of them are thinking of quitting because of threats of violence. And “Leaving no child behind” is a joke because the money your school receives is based mostly on the property values of the neighborhood it’s in.

For example, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, just one of the city’s 12 high schools made “adequate yearly progress” last year under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Of Albuquerque’s 128 public schools, only 47 met the standard, according to the state Public Education Department. There is also rising frustration and desperation over poor student achievement, crumbling buildings, bureaucratic wrangling among school officials and revolving-door superintendents. (USA TODAY, More Mayors Move to Take Over Schools)

So what’s going on? Education, with its half trillion-dollar budget is simply a bureaucracy stumbling around, wrestling in its own underwear. Teacher unions, administrators and politicians all want more money. And maybe they should get some, but not without a proven plan.

For starters, most school districts spend nearly 40% of their budget on administration and overhead. If we could only cut that down to 35% we could hire 350,000 more teachers. 350,000 more! Today!

But beyond just hiring more teachers, we already know what works. We’ve got plenty of examples. All across our country there are brilliant administrators and dedicated teachers who create schools of unexpected excellence. What they seem to have in common is a whole person commitment to each student. Teachers and administrators who actually care about kids and aren’t afraid to show it. Discipline, standards, inspiration, expectations and consequences are critical. And where there is little parental support, mentors, interns and extended school hours, even Saturday field trips, can make a difference.

The answers are right in front of us. It’s no big mystery. What’s missing is leadership. The will to change things.

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