Monday, May 17, 2010

We know how to fix public education but lack the courage to do so

By Jim Fabiano


Ever since the late 1800's people have known that our public education system needed reform. Harvard president Charles Eliot was part of a movement to establish high standards for secondary schools. These standards grew out of a concern that our schools were failing. Even after Mr. Eliot's work the Douglas Commission in 1905, reported that, "80% of our public school pupils drop out of the schools before attending high school and 97 % of all public schools drop out before graduating from high school.




Since the late 19th century, we have attempted to reform our schools. Every attempt seemed to have failed because graduation rates still failed our children and our society. We argue about low student achievement, achievement gaps and the impotence of our public school system. Paul Thomas said it best, "The message we do not hear, but should hear instead, is this: The picture we see in our schools is a mirror of the society we have created and now tolerate."



Dr. Thomas continues by stating, "Student failure in schools is a stark reflection of how our society fails children. Between 70 and 80 per cent of student achievement is directly linked to the homes and communities of schools - yet we spend rhetoric, time and money on school reform while ignoring this reality." He goes on to state that President Obama is continuing down the fruitless road of high standards and accountability. This is a mirror of what we tried and failed in the past.



Finally Dr. Thomas states, "NCLB cannot and should not be salvaged, because it is trapped in tired assumptions about educating children." He basically states that the test mania of our past can't be the central engine to reform our schools. It simply does not work.



But what does work? 'Time' magazine, back in October of 1998, asked, "What does it take to make an excellent student? The encouragement of parents and the respect and friendship of teachers and peers make the difference. In other words, the parent has to get involved with the education of their children. Everyone in education knows this as a fact. The question I have is why we aren't we establishing a system that has all parents to take part in public education.

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2 comments:

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