On May 23, 2012, the presumptive Republican Presidential Nominee rolled out his plan for American education, "A Chance for Every Child: Mitt Romney’s Plan for Restoring the Promise of American Education". (PDF)
In the forward, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush gives us some universally agreed upon basics about education in America:
"Education
has always been central to the American Dream."
"Education
guaranteed freedom — both the economic freedom of self-sufficiency and the
individual liberties that only a democracy of well-informed citizens can
protect."
The connection between education and prosperity could not be clearer. We know, for instance, that receiving a high school diploma is one of the most potent antidotes to poverty. Only 2 percent of those who graduate from high school, get a full-time job, and wait until age 21 to get married and have children end up in poverty. By comparison, that figure is 76 percent for those who fail to do all three."
"With access to quality education comes broader opportunity
and greater equality."
The connection between education and prosperity could not be clearer. We know, for instance, that receiving a high school diploma is one of the most potent antidotes to poverty. Only 2 percent of those who graduate from high school, get a full-time job, and wait until age 21 to get married and have children end up in poverty. By comparison, that figure is 76 percent for those who fail to do all three."
"We even know that education improves health and happiness,
reduces unemployment, and strengthens the fabric of our society."
Governor Bush touches upon "the achievement gap
facing many minority groups" as follows:
The average
African American or Hispanic student performs at the same level in 12th grade
that the average white student achieves in 8th grade. More than one in three African American and Hispanic students
fails to graduate from high school within four years of entering.
This
unconscionable reality flows as a direct consequence from the poor quality of
the schools that serve disproportionately minority communities in low-income
areas. For example, African American and Hispanic children make up only 38
percent of the nation’s students overall, but 69 percent of the students in
schools identified by states as the lowest performing.
The tragic result is that instead
of providing an escape from the cycle of poverty, our education system is
reinforcing it.
The question is where are "we as a nation?" and the answer isn't pretty.
CBS News reports that of 30 comparable countries, the United States ranks near the bottom in math, science and reading. Take math -
Finland is first, followed by South Korea, and the United States is number 25.
Same story in science: Finland, number one again. The United States? Number 21.When it comes to high school graduation rates, the United States is 20th on the
list. Germany, Japan, Korea and the U.K. all do better with graduation rates of
90 percent or more. In the Unites States, it's just 75 percent.
On the amount spent per student: U.S. spends just over $129,000 from K through 12. The other countries average $95,000.
It's not so much that the United States has slowed down in the last half a century, it's more that other countries sped up. As painful as it may be to accept, currently, other nations outclass U. S. on education.
It's not so much that the United States has slowed down in the last half a century, it's more that other countries sped up. As painful as it may be to accept, currently, other nations outclass U. S. on education.
In part two of this series, we'll look at Romney's education plan in detail.
0 comments:
Post a Comment