![]() States and school districts alone simply cannot achieve the goal of providing every student with a high-quality school. ![]() But the federal government has a critical role to play in creating the conditions for equitable access to educational opportunity for every child, regardless of their background. To be sure, part of national policymakers’ hesitation to address K-12 education stems from America’s long tradition of state and local control of schooling, which can be a barrier to the federal government-and the president-becoming highly involved in education. 13 Across the country, people are recognizing that after a decade of disinvestment following the Great Recession, the support that students, teachers, and schools need is simply not being provided-and the consequences are evident. Teacher protests and strikes over the past year have catalyzed increased public support for both teachers and for funding public education more broadly. 12Īlthough K-12 education historically has not been a driving force in national elections, the nation is in a unique moment in time. In the 2018 midterm elections, it was the second-most frequent topic of campaign ads for governors, with candidates vying to be their state’s “pro-education governor.” 11 This year, education ranks third among voters’ top priorities for the president and Congress. What’s more, the public wants a focus on education. 10 Elementary and secondary schools are where students learn to read, write, do math, and develop the skills, knowledge, and abilities that will make them successful lifelong learners and full participants in U.S. And yet, with a few prominent exceptions, presidential candidates have not yet taken clear positions or staked out big ideas on how to ensure that every child has an excellent school. More and more candidates for national office are presenting ideas for how to increase access to high-quality early childhood education and how to make higher education more accessible and affordable. ![]() 9 Additionally, it is clear that students with disabilities, students who identify as LGBTQ, and students who are English language learners continue to grapple with added barriers to accessing a quality education.Īs the 2020 elections near, the conversation about how to change the direction of the country will gain even more prominence-on education, as well as the many other critical issues Americans are facing. 7 Even more alarming, the nation continues to see the effect of systemic and structural barriers to opportunity for Black, 8 Latinx, Native American, and some Asian American and Pacific Islander children, not to mention the ongoing segregation and isolation of students from families with low incomes who are locked into under-resourced schools. After some hopeful progress in the early 2000s, results on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) have stagnated in both reading and math. 6 America’s 13-year-olds continue to languish in the middle of the pack internationally in math and science achievement. Between 20, the United States slipped from fifth to 10th among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries in its rate of postsecondary degree attainment. education system are not where they need to be. But on the whole, the results of the U.S.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |