American Public Education Reform

American Public Education Reform

Introduction

Over the years, there have been unsustainable and quick schooling reforms that have been prioritized but have failed to consider the broader economic realities within America. As parents and schools tussle to meet their needs, resources have advanced the chances for the best learners at the cost of chances for less advantaged learners. Public education, whose focus was economic equality, has instead helped increase the economic divide that has started to mirror the wider nation’s economic divide. The American Public Education Reform needs to focus on funding public education and an environment that supports learning in public schools.

Narration

Public education in the United States has undergone various reforms in the past years. The public education reforms began with Horace Mann of Massachusetts, who led the common school movement during the early 1800s. During the period, the public schools were financed by local property taxes (Steinberg and Quinn, 2017). Horace Mann focused on positive reinforcement in public schools rather than punishment. Mann also emphasized common schools which promoted equality in which children of all classes and ages were taught together. The education reforms also helped bring state-sponsored public education that facilitates the public tax to finance public education.

Over the years, four major forces have converged to influence the school reform movement widening inequality. These include gentrification, standardized testing, household economic downturn and school choice (Steinberg and Quinn, 2017). Standardized testing has remained a great challenge to education since it offers no meaningful progress to the students. School choice has allowed the public education funds to follow learners to the institutions which suit their needs, whether private, public, charter or home school. This has negatively affected the public schools with several negative consequences such as decreased civic engagement, distortion in the purpose of education, the commitment to the common good, and more social segregation (Lynch, 2015). Separation and tracking of students by curriculum and ability have been pervasive in American public schooling. This has been associated with negative student outcomes. Gentrification has led to social inequality in public school education since it deprives equity in education and separates children along the socio-economic and racial lines.

In the history of the American education system, the education opportunities considerably varied depending on someone’s race, location, gender and social class (Lynch, 2015). The school experiences of the minority students such as African Americans in the United States have continued to be substantially unequal and separate. Few Americans have acknowledged that the U.S. educational system has been among the most uneven system in an industrialized world. Students have had varying learning opportunities based on their social status. The minority and poor students have been concentrated in the least well-funded public schools.

Confirmation

Recent data obtained from the school finance cases in New Jersey, Alabama, New York, Texas, and Louisiana have indicated that only a small measure of curriculum offerings and qualified teachers have served many students. The resources are few in schools with most students of colour compared to those serving mostly white students. Not only has the funding system allocated fewer resources to the poor urban districts schools as compared to their suburban neighbours, but it also offers few instructional resources in public schools that have a high concentration of minority and low-income students.

In 2019, the committee on education and labour discussed how underfunding public education had shortchanged American Students. In spite of the growing proof associating well-resourced schools, healthy buildings and well-supported educators, the Federal Government has dedicated no resources to improving school infrastructure (Representatives U. H. O, 2019). Lack of Federal funding has increased the problems initiated by lack of obligation to huge public school financing at the national level.  Regarding the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities attuned for inflation, twenty nine states have disbursed less on students in 2015 compared to 2008 before the Great Recession.

Additionally, despite the growing number of school infrastructure failure that has threatened educators and students, twelve states within American have failed to support schools within an additional thirteen states covering amid one and nine percent of school costs (Representatives U. H. O, 2019). The chronic state and Federal underfunding of public education have left most public schools at a literal breaking point. For instance, in 2017, the Education Super Highway Report indicated that more than nineteen thousand schools that serve more than a quarter of the public school learners lack the least connectivity required for digital education (Representatives U. H. O, 2019).

The United States has primarily funded public education through property taxes which leads to the harmful effect on low-income districts with low incomes, thus leading to underfunded public education schools in various districts. For instance, in 2018, several schools in New Jersey closed due to mold. Baltimore also closed schools during the heatwave since classes lacked air conditioning.

Studies have indicated that public schools teachers have been underpaid, thus increasing turnover, which affects the retention of most talented teachers in public schools (Rentner, 2019). Considering inflation, the teacher’s pay has fallen to $30 a week from 1996 to 2015. This means that the public school teachers earn just seventy-seven percent of the university graduates with some work capability make on weekly earnings (Representatives U. H. O, 2019). Despite the declining wage and underfunded schools, some teachers have shown dedication and commitment to their students. For instance, some devote an average of $485 of their earning to purchase supplies and materials for their classrooms. A shortage of teachers in public schools has harmed teachers, students and the public education system. Staff instability, lack of qualified and sufficient teachers have threatened the student’s ability to learn and lower the teacher’s effectiveness and the high turnover rate, which consumes economic resources that could be used in the development of schools.

Refutation

Economists have opposed more funding into public schools. The U.S. Department of Education argues that the Federal government has contributed appropriately to the funding of U.S. public schools. The Federal government funds ensure that it spends 8 per cent of its resources in funding public schools (Jimenez, 2019). Public school funding comes from different sources at the federal, state and local levels. Additionally, 48 per cent of the school budget is obtained from state resources such as sales tax, income taxes and fees. Economists argue that the states that receive federal funds should not only focus on achievement progress but also on equitable and adequate education resources such as materials, books and equipment, as well as the availability of qualified teachers. They need to plan for further progress and redesign the finance formula to focus on the needs of the students and teachers.

Conclusion

The American Public Education Reform needs to focus on key issues that close the gap of inequality, fewer funds and an unsuitable education environment in public schools. A growing body of evidence has shown that American Public schools are facing challenges linked to underfunding and underpaid teachers in crumbled schools. Therefore, the American Public Education Reform should focus on closing the gaps and issues that will provide sound and equitable education to all children.

References

Jimenez, L. (2019). The Case for Federal Funding for School Infrastructure. Center for American Progress.

Lynch, M. (2015). 10 Reasons the U.S. Education System Is Failing. Education Week.

Rentner, D. S. (2019). Are Public School Teachers Adequately Compensated?. Center on Education Policy.

REPRESENTATIVES, U. H. O (2019). Underpaid Teachers and Crumbling Schools: How Underfunding Public Education Shortchanges America’s Students.

Steinberg, M. P., & Quinn, R. (2017). Education reform in the post-NCLB era: Lessons learned for transforming urban public education. Cityscape, 19(1), 191-216.