| Despite all the extra funding and support that | | | | are turning out these uneducated students are not |
| taxpayers have provided for the public school system, | | | | being held accountable. Teachers don't lose their jobs, |
| the results have continued to be largely dismal. As a | | | | and schools do not lose their funding... the only ones |
| country, the United States has fallen behind the | | | | losing out are the students. It's becoming increasingly |
| educational levels of students in other much smaller | | | | common for students to realize, once they enter the |
| and less advantaged countries. Although plenty of | | | | workforce or college, that they are unprepared for |
| money has been pumped into the national public school | | | | life's future challenges, due to their public school |
| system, it hasn't seemed to help. When one looks | | | | education. |
| more closely at the problem, it appears that the | | | | Too Much Politics, Not Enough Education |
| problems go deeper than what money can easily | | | | Although the public school system doesn't seem to |
| solve. | | | | care about the concerns of the parents and students, |
| Where Does the Money Go? | | | | they do seem to care about politicians and school |
| According to financial records, public schools have a | | | | boards. Unfortunately, schools often spend more time |
| higher per-pupil budget than charter and private | | | | catering to the personal and political agendas of these |
| schools. Yet, it seems as though the public schools are | | | | influences than they spend on the students' needs. In |
| continuously running out of money. When they do run | | | | many cases, this only serves to add more expenses |
| out, they simply ask for more funding, and in most | | | | to an already costly educational system. Perhaps |
| cases, eventually they get it. It doesn't seem as though | | | | more power should be given to the parents and the |
| the schools have any incentive to cut expenses and | | | | concerned teachers, with less power given to the |
| stick to their budget. When you look at the records | | | | politicians. Instead of wasting money on political |
| since 1960, the amount of money spent per student, | | | | agendas and educational strategies that don't seem to |
| after adjusting for inflation, has more than tripled. Yet, | | | | work, perhaps more attention should be focused on |
| the quality of education doesn't seem to have | | | | the needs of the students. |
| increased along with the cost. | | | | Even the proficiency tests that were supposed to |
| Lack of Educational Accountability | | | | insure that "no child is left behind" aren't working. |
| In addition to an apparent lack of accountability in | | | | Instead of helping insure proficiency, these tests seem |
| regards to spending their funds, there also doesn't | | | | to insure that teachers will spend more time "training" |
| appear to be much accountability in regards to | | | | students to pass the test, and less time actually |
| educational standards. Although proficiency test results | | | | teaching them. If struggling students were given more |
| for public school students are embarrassingly low, the | | | | help, and gifted students were given more advanced |
| schools providing the students with this substandard | | | | opportunities, everyone could benefit. Instead, teachers |
| education do not seem to be held accountable. As | | | | are often forced to use the same educational plans |
| compared to other countries, U.S. students rank far | | | | for all students, benefiting no one. Perhaps it's about |
| lower on mathematics and science assessment tests. | | | | time some logic and reason are used in the public |
| Low income students fare especially poorly, with more | | | | school system, instead of just trying to prop it up with |
| than half of them struggling in even basic reading, | | | | more money. |
| science, math and history skills. Yet, the schools that | | | | |