Education: Disparity and Discontinuity
By Timothy Little, Managing Editor
Those in the United States consider the “American Dream” the ability to choose freely the life one would like to live and look to education as the “great equalizer” in an effort to transcend socio-economic class. The old adage to leave the next generation with opportunities better than it currently has holds true. One means of ensuring this is education. However, there is an unacceptable disparity in regards to the quality of public education (grades K-12) offered across the nation, a disparity threatening the American Dream.
When Morgan Quinto Press calculated their “Smartest State” results for 2006-2007, there was a 94% difference between the best and worst state. This disparity represents a significant problem that needs greater attention. The United States exists in a global market. As such, the education polices that drive the “American Dream” also drive the economy. If our education system fails, then the United States’ global position will diminish.
In a time where people are connected more than ever and frequently change residence around the country, the need for continuity in education has become paramount. A major attempt to address continuity and raise education standards was the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law of 2002. Originally passed as bi-partisan legislation, NCLB was created to address disparity in education, raise standards, and improve the overall quality of education. However, the law has several shortcomings and is due for re-authorization this year. Both parties disagree over the changes that need to occur in order to ensure successful implementation of the law. Nonetheless, without reauthorizing NCLB, the Congress could attempt to solve discontinuity issues by implementing national standards.
It is undeniable that the United States is declining in math and science competitiveness when compared to other nations. Content standards in mathematics could largely address this issue. China and the United Kingdom already have such standards and China is exceeding the United States in math and science achievement. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has created a set of principles and standards for mathematics for all grades pre-K through 12 and is urging lawmakers to adopt such measures.
In January 2007, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), sponsored a bill entitled The Standards to Provide Educational Achievement for Kids (SPEAK) Act that tasks the National Assessment Governing Board with adopting voluntary American education content standards in mathematics. Mathematics standards could easily be adopted since it is more of a precise science than other disciplines. However, what this leads to is a greater debate over rectifying individual choice with a national curriculum.
National standards are not the same as a national curriculum. National standards are skill sets that a child must master in their respective grade level. A national curriculum is a narrow set of instruction that must be followed at all times. In either case, testing will remain, but should increase in order to identify skills where additional instruction is required. Technology currently exists that could place a computer for every student in every classroom. These computers could be designed specifically to assess student comprehension of these standards.
Some perspective on where the United States places compared to other countries comes from the fact that the proportion of United States citizens in domestic science and engineering graduate studies is declining. From 1994 to 2001, graduate science and engineering enrollment in the United States declined by 10 percent for United States citizens, but increased by 25 percent for foreign-born students.
Collectively, the world’s fastest growing economies are on track to catch up to United States research and development (R&D) investment. From 1995 through 2001, the emerging economies of China, South Korea, and Taiwan increased their gross R&D investments by about 140 percent. During the same period, the United States increased its investments by 34 percent. Within the United States, federal funding of basic research in engineering and physical sciences has experienced little to no growth over the last thirty years. As a percentage of its gross-domestic product (GDP), funding has been in a thirty-year decline within the United States.
In short, the rest of the world is exceeding the pace of the United States and will eventually catch up. Asian economies are rapidly investing in science and mathematics education while increasing their research and development. The United States relies heavily on foreign-born students to conduct research within their country, but that is now on the decline as more students are staying in their home countries. This data presents a bleak outlook for the United States and may require drastic measures. China now rivals the United States for foreign capital as the largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2003. Even while the United States high-tech industry grew rapidly throughout the 1990s, the high-tech industries in many Asian countries grew faster.
The possible decline of high-technology jobs and research opportunities is partly because of our education policies. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, one of the leading software engineers in this country, has urged Congress to place a focus on standards because “educational standards have one central purpose – to ensure that students make the most of their abilities.” The lack of these high-tech jobs will affect the strength of the United States economy and the ability of many to achieve the “American Dream.” As a nation, the United States will be unable to compete internationally unless changes are made.
Americans still exist in a meritocracy, but they need to ensure that everyone has an opportunity. There is too great a disparity in education to leave things as they are. States should not be ranked by their “quality of education,” but should all be equal. There is no reason for one school to out-perform another. Appropriate steps must be taken to ensure equality in education. Our education is tied to our economy and our job market, essential to the American dream. The United States needs to delegate the appropriate resources to adopt national standards now, before it is too late. As America forever strives toward a great society, it must ensure that the pillar of education remains strong. The United States can ill afford to further slight its education policies.