In the United States, we are in the midst of an education reform, which means redefining what we consider to be an educational standard. For example, we’ve gone from establishing strict academic standards to implementing standardized tests, and we’ve made the latter mandatory. Critics say that standardized tests are no longer learning tools, but instead have become the curriculum, and that they’ve replaced the teaching of subject matter.
The educational system is built on bias, not just in funding decisions but in materials taught in schools. It also includes a “have” and a “have-not” mentality, with children from poorer neighborhoods faring lower than those from wealthy neighborhoods. These factors contribute to the fact that the U.S. educational system lags behind most other developed countries in reading, mathematics, science, and other subjects.
While the current system may be flawed, it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of ways to fix a broken system, and some of them are quite simple. Public education has evolved over the years and has become more accessible to everyone. If you’d like to see real change, you must take the time to understand the real issues and challenges of our educational system. The real question, however, is: what is wrong with the current education system?
Underfunding in public education is the biggest culprit for under-achieving students. While the federal government provides 4% of the national budget for education, states determine how much is allocated to education by local governments. This monetary distribution system erodes academic standards and keeps the achievement gap widening. A better education system would allow everyone to reach their full potential. When school funding is not sufficient, the student’s achievement levels would plummet.
