The past few weeks saw a flurry of suggestions and experiments to improve the education status in the USA. Many are worth mentioning but a few provokes the shake of the head.
It is clear that US students are lacking behind those of other industrial countries and scarily, those of many emerging economies. In a sense, political correctness and tolerance have created an environment where too much is trying to be achieved with too little. Too little leadership, too little money, too little focus on achievers. While too much focus is given to efforts distracting from the core thought - Education! It is perhaps a good idea to judge the various efforts by this criteria.
National Public Radio reports that American schools have struggled for decades to close the "minority achievement gap" translation for the lower average test scores, grades, and college attendance rates among black and Latino students. Because of the lack of funding and the increase in students, schools are falling behind in remedial classes. Some schools are trying a process of grouping students by ability or known as tracking or leveling such as at Columbia High School, NJ. Guess what? High performance classes are doing well (majority white students) while lower-level classes are a nightmare (majority black students). The 'average' student mass (white and black students) suffers the most as they don't fit in either group and therefore looses out in either group. Failure.
In Denver, students are increasingly choosing to attend a school outside of their neighborhood as part of the district's "school-choice" program. This allows students to attend the school that best meets their individual needs and learning goals. Finally someone has figured out that one size does not fit all. Winner.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that a Utah district is testing a software program designed to better teach students how to read faster with better comprehension using peripheral vision to read more than one word at a time. And engaging both sides of the brain. Sounds like good old speed-reading to me. Winner.
In Texas a rating system was passed that aims at holding teacher-training programs accountable for graduates' success in the classroom. This will help determine which programs are producing the most, and the least, effective teachers. Finally something to force a certain percentage of teachers to pay attention while attending mandatory staff development sessions. This is a good move as countless trainers will testify to very obnoxious behavior during training sessions by some teachers. Winner.
Denver, Co has proved that teacher pay tied to student achievement works. They recorded more teacher collaboration, increased test scores, and a willingness by teachers to go to high-needs schools. Wisconsin, on the other hand still bans this concept by state law. Every other worker in America is measured on performance (other than politicians), why not teachers? Winner.
After a six-year old was expelled from school for bringing his Scout eating tool (multipurpose tool with small knife) to eat his lunch, another senior fell to the same zero-tolerance policies for having a survival kit in his car with a pocket knife in it. This young man has applied and been accepted by West Point and happened to drive his car to school. No Columbine here. Now communities and schools nationwide are rethinking zero-tolerance policies for school safety. Winner.
Michigan dad, Nicholas Aggor, an engineer originally from Ghana started to write math text books after watching his sons suffering through math. His hope is that his writings will help struggling students reach their full potential. No big-publishing contracts - yet. Any person who steps up gets the vote. Winner.
The best for last: The Literacy Research Association wants authors of the new common national academic standards, assigned by the Secretary of Education, to declare any ties to commercial interests vis a vis publishing companies, equipment manufacturers, etc. Follow the money! Winner.
Michael Cordier
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