INDUSTRY INSIGHTS | SPRING 2010 EFFECTEducation—The Other 21st Century Challenge
by Joyce MillerWhile the debate over the health care system rages on, the other critical challenge we face this century is the education of our children. With each new generation, we expect innovation to fuel growth and move us forward. However, innovation depends on a well-educated population and workforce, and if we continue to reduce our investments in education, the outcome is troublingly predictable.
Research over the past several years indicates the United States is falling behind other countries in core academic subjects. A December 2007 New York Times article regarding a study from the American Institutes for Research, a nonprofit independent scientific research firm, found that several countries significantly outperform American students in science and math. A 2009 study from the National Center for Education Statistics reports on comparative indicators of education in the United States and other G-8 Countries (Canada, France Germany, Italy, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States). U.S. fourth-graders scored higher on average in reading literacy than their peers in Scotland and France, but lower than their peers in Italy and the Russian Federation. And due to budget cuts in many districts across the country, art and music programs—the very subjects that can augment core learning as well as ignite the spirit of engagement in children—are on the list of endangered enrichment opportunities.
The right to an education of equal quality
In spite of education being established as a civil right more than half a century ago, we still fall short in providing even a basic education to many of our children. In Pennsylvania, the disparity between the dollars per child expended in suburban districts versus urban districts is astounding. For the 2007–08 school year, the instructional expense per child was $5,973 in the Philadelphia School District, a large urban district of approximately 200,000 students. In neighboring Montgomery County, which has 22 school districts, the instructional expense per child ranged from $7,907 to $24,597 in the 2007–08 school year, with most districts spending $8,000–$12,000 per child (Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education).
Lesser educational opportunities along with societal and family dynamics all contribute to children never finishing high school. The cost to society and the overall advancement in our country is significant. An October 2009 article by Catherine Gewertz in Education Week reports on a study from the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University regarding the financial impact of dropouts on the country. The average high school graduate contributes $287,000 to society during his/her working lifetime and an adult with a bachelor's degree contributes $793,000. High school dropouts actually cost society because they contribute less tax revenue and are statistically more likely to use state funded support programs.
Educational choices
In the midst of all of this, educators, politicians, academics, and parents debate the relevance and performance of traditional public schools, the effectiveness of charter schools, the access to independent schools (sectarian and nonsectarian) and other educational choices, while far too many children languish.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 53 million school-aged children in this country. Approximately 82 percent are in traditional public schools, 4 percent are in public charter schools, and the remaining 14 percent are in independent schools or other educational venues. One of the primary drivers behind the charter school movement was to provide a space where innovative ideas could help meet diverse educational needs and provide solutions that could be replicated in other charter schools, as well as traditional public schools.
Charter schools
Numerous studies have evaluated the pros and cons of charter schools as well as their effectiveness. However, some points are not subject to debate. First of all, charter schools participate in mandated testing and are being held accountable for improving student achievement. Results of testing are widely available to parents to determine if schools (whether traditional public or charter) are meeting required academic improvement. Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools are more likely to be closed if they are not performing academically. If traditional public schools were as closely scrutinized and held accountable, wouldn’t it increase the drive to achieve results? In some districts, most notably in Washington DC, the focus on maintaining traditional public schools that achieve results and closing the ones that don’t has met heated opposition.
Second, most charter schools stress the need for parent involvement. Many require a written contract between the school and parent outlining expectations for attendance, behavior, homework, and other aspects of school life. This is a simple, no-cost idea that could be implemented in traditional public schools. If parents don’t comply, the focus can be shifted to how to support students in the absence of involved parents.
Third, the charter school movement has highlighted the need for high-quality teachers. One good teacher in a child’s life can be life-changing—I was fortunate enough to have that special teacher in first grade. Many support organizations for charter schools have been created to focus on finding and developing high-quality teachers and school leaders. These efforts could be supported and expanded to serve all schools. The support of teachers and educational leaders should also extend to paying good teachers something approaching their true value. After all, the future of our country depends on it.
Race to the Top
Fortunately, we have begun to see a commitment to education at the national level. The new “Race to the Top” program funded and directed by the U.S. Department of Education has ambitious goals that could positively affect our children as well as the country. Some of these goals include:
- Designing and implementing rigorous standards and high-quality assessments. The program encourages states to work together to build a system of common academic standards that work for college and career readiness. It also includes improved assessments that measure critical knowledge and higher-order thinking skills.
- Attracting and keeping great teachers and leaders by providing support to teachers and principals; reforming and improving teacher preparation; and revising teacher evaluation, compensation, and retention policies to encourage and reward effectiveness
- Using data to provide needed information to make decisions and improve instruction
- Using innovation and effective approaches to turn around struggling schools
- Promoting collaborations among business leaders, educators, and other stakeholders to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps by expanding support for high-performing public charter schools, reinvigorating math and science education, and promoting other conditions favorable to innovation and reform
Parent involvement
One critical element, however, that cannot be solved by new funding is the need for parent involvement. Parents need to understand that dropping their child off at the school door is not the end of their responsibility. Ideally, parents should understand the school’s overall academic performance, know their child’s teachers, and have a good idea of what information is going into their child’s head. But, if parents cannot be available for whatever reason, we need to develop a community that supports children and lets them know each one of them is important and we are counting on them to succeed.
We have seen our health care system reach a crisis point and our educational system may not be far behind. Let’s not sit on the sideline while politicians maneuver for political advantage. We need all of our schools to produce critical thinkers, innovators, and productive members of society. Improving all of our educational choices is directly related to the economic growth and vitality we so desperately need.