US EDUCATION TODAY &

TOMORROWImanii Jones

INCREASED CHOICE AND PRIVITATION IN EDUCATION (CONT.)

• Parents usually are able to choose between public, private, online, charter, alternative, and homeschooling.

• Having options allows parents to choose the most convenient and appropriate approach for their child’s education.

CHOICE

INCREASED CHOICE AND PRIVITATION IN

EDUCATION

• Charter schools are schools that are public but have less influence by the school district and the department of education.

• With the emergence of charter schools in the public school system, more parents are given a chance to be more involved in the education of the students and the choices like:

• Curriculum

• Budget

• More people are opting to be more involved in the decisions about what children are learning instead of leaving it up to the educational board or school districts.

• Test scores are significantly higher in students that attend schools that are chartered because if the increased involvement of parents and teachers who are more aware of the individual needs of the students.

CHARTER SCHOOLS

INCREASED CHOICE AND PRIVITATION IN

EDUCATION

• Private schools are schools although federally regulated require a tuition in order to attend.

• Parents are able to handpick these schools and some even offer housing.

• There are several subcategories of private schools including:

• Private Preparatory Schools

• Waldorf Schools

• Montessori Schools

• Parochial Schools

• Private Secular (Religious) Schools

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

INCREASED CHOICE AND PRIVITATION IN

EDUCATION

• “Private schools tend to have low student-to-teacher ratios. The average student/teacher ratio for Catholic schools was 15.5:1, for other religious schools it was 11.1:1, and for nonsectarian it was 8.4:1”(Donnelly, 2008)

• “Graduation rates were also extremely high, ranging from 96.1 percent for nonsectarian private schools to 99.1 percent for Catholic schools”(Broughman &Swaim, 2006). 

• Because in recent years it has become abundantly clear that increase hands on learning and lower student-teacher ratios increases the students ability to learn and test well, more schools are opting for privitation and smaller classrooms.

• This is also causing parents to become aware and choose more private options with schooling like charter schools who have aspects of both public and private schools.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

HIGH SCHOOL REFORM

• Federal programs have been implemented in order to reform the secondary school system here in America.

• It is no secret that high school success makes for the foundation for college success and a career.

• Several programs have been enacted to ensure that graduation rates continue to increase, most notably, No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

HIGH SCHOOL REFORM

• With the need for change in the American schooling system, plans were made for once and for all to change what children learned and how they learned.

• Changes to curriculum and a way to monitor learning more in depth and involved was becoming a necessity.

• State-wide standards were implemented to ensure that each student is learning on the same curve and to ensure that every student has a chance at success.

HIGH SCHOOL REFORM

• NCLB was enacted in 2001 by George W. Bush.

• According to Ed.gov, “The purpose of this title is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments”(20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.)

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (NCLB)

INCREASED RELIANCE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

• It is inevitable that our society is becoming reliant on technology.

• The innovative technologies available now make learning more interactive and allow the student to be more involved.

• Studies have shown that technology raises tests scores.

• Some schools are completely dependent on technology, as is the case with online schools.

INCREASED RELIANCE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

• According to one study, “The use of technology has become more prevalent in schools and has been shown to facilitate student learning objectives. There is substantial evidence that incorporating technology, of any kind, in the classroom as an instructional tool enhances student learning and educational outcomes” (Devlin, 2013)

STEM INITIATIVE

• Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

• These areas are high need because they are cognitively challenging and not many people pursue these areas. This is the reason why the government has implemented programs to help fund these areas of learning.

• Our country needs innovation to continue to grow, compete, and thrive as a developing nation.

• Obama has proposed a budget in which STEM is heavily funded for the year 2015.

STEM INITIATIVE (cont)

• Project Lead the Way has been a leading initiative in STEM programs that help students go further in this field.

• They receive some government funding and schools may choose to pay to enter the program in order to challenge their student to learn in these fields.

• Some schools can even become STEM schools that focus particularly in these subjects and ensure that their students are on the right track for college education in this field as well.

STEM INITIATIVE

• There is a notable priority shift in the latter years as it pertains to STEM programs.

• According to the department of education, only 16 percent of students are STEM proficient and interested in pursuing a STEM career.

• It is no secret that STEM is the future our nation as it continues to develop and be dependent on technology.

The need for proficiency in science, technology,

engineering, and math

REFERENCES

• Donnelly, M. (2008). Private Schools. Research Starters Education (Online Edition)

• Broughman, S. P. & Swaim, N. L. (2006). Characteristics of private schools in the United States: Results from the 2003-2004 Private School Universe Survey. U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved September 22, 2007, from the U.S. Department of Education http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006319.

• No Child Left Behind. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg1.html#sec1001

• Devlin, J. The Evolving Classroom: A Study of Traditional and Technology-Based Instruction in a STEM Classroom. Journal of Technology Education, p34-54. 2013