What Went Wrong With Americas Schools? Essay -- essays research papers

What Went Wrong with Americas Schools?     Education is the key to any countries economic success. For a countryto be economically sound, the business and industry within that country must befinancially prosperous. In todays high tech world economy, businesses andindustries need well improve employees to prosper. Therefore, the worsening of a countries educational system should be considered a majoreconomic problem. Between 1965 and 1980, the performance of Ameri contribute studentsdramatically declined, the educational system fell backwards, and it is impact todays schools, as well as the future of the USs micturate force.     During that 15 year period, US students render scores severely dropped incomparison to other industrial countries. After 1980, the dropping scoresleveled off, and recently, they feature begun in increase. But American studentsmust play catch-up with the rest of the world, and todays public school systemis not on t he watch to facilitate the major leap forward that our educational systemneeds.     Before 1965, Americas public school system was producing bettereducated students with less money and fewer supplies than today. Each class wasapproximately 40% large than todays classes, and they functioned with aboutone-third of the real sawbuck expenditures of present day schools. They taughtwith fewer books and less equipment, and did not have any of todays audio-visualmaterial and equipment. Then, between 1965 and 1980, real dollar expendituresper student doubled as teacher to student ratio dropped by one forth. Yet, withmore money and fewer students per class, student achievement deteriorated in each available measure. In 15 years, national SAT scores declined by 5 exhibitsannually. That 75 point drop has put the US behind greatly, and has left(p) todaysstudents with a lot of ground to make up in order to reach other countries testscore levels.     The cause of this dramatic drop can not been attributed to any one thing.The decline was sudden, sharp, and affected every region and socioeconomicgroup in the country. Because the 60s and 70s were a time of major changes,nothing that happened in that era can be ruled out. But a few major changeswithin the educational system have been linked to the decline.   &... ...resent increase in learning and test scores, America will beon its way to being a draw in education again. And with a well educated workforce, the US economy will continue to grow and prosper.BibliographyStanley M. Elam, Lowell C. Rose, and Alec M. Gallup, "The 25th Annual Phi Delta     Kappa/Gallup Poll of the habituals Attitudes Toward the Public Schools,"Phi Delta     Kappan, October 1993, pages 137-152William Kristol and Jay P. Lefkowitz, "Our Students, Still at Risk," New YorkTimes, 3     whitethorn 1993, p.A-23Sam Peltzman, &qu otWhats Behind the Decline of Public Schools?" USA Today, July1994,     pages 22-24The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, "More than Survival"1980     right of first publication by Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, CAGerald W Bracey, "The Third Bracey notify on the Condition of Public Education"Phi     Delta Kappan, October 1993, pages 105-117Jim Fox, "The Wrong Whipping Boy" Phi Delta Kappan, October 1993, pages 118-119 What Went Wrong With Americas Schools? Essay -- essays research papers What Went Wrong with Americas Schools?     Education is the key to any countries economic success. For a countryto be economically sound, the business and industry within that country must befinancially prosperous. In todays high tech world economy, businesses andindustries need well educated employees to prosper. Therefore, thedeterioration of a co untries educational system should be considered a majoreconomic problem. Between 1965 and 1980, the performance of American studentsdramatically declined, the educational system fell backwards, and it isaffecting todays schools, as well as the future of the USs work force.     During that 15 year period, US students test scores severely dropped incomparison to other industrial countries. After 1980, the dropping scoresleveled off, and recently, they have begun in increase. But American studentsmust play catch-up with the rest of the world, and todays public school systemis not prepared to facilitate the major leap forward that our educational systemneeds.     Before 1965, Americas public school system was producing bettereducated students with less money and fewer supplies than today. Each class wasapproximately 40% larger than todays classes, and they functioned with aboutone-third of the real dollar expenditures of present day schools. They taughtwith fewer books and less equipment, and did not have any of todays audio-visualmaterial and equipment. Then, between 1965 and 1980, real dollar expendituresper student doubled as teacher to student ratio dropped by one forth. Yet, withmore money and fewer students per class, student achievement deteriorated inevery available measure. In 15 years, national SAT scores declined by 5 pointsannually. That 75 point drop has put the US behind greatly, and has left todaysstudents with a lot of ground to make up in order to reach other countries testscore levels.     The cause of this dramatic drop can not been attributed to any one thing.The decline was sudden, sharp, and affected every region and socioeconomicgroup in the country. Because the 60s and 70s were a time of major changes,nothing that happened in that era can be ruled out. But a few major changeswithin the educational system have been linked to the decline.   &... ...resent increase in lea rning and test scores, America will beon its way to being a leader in education again. And with a well educated workforce, the US economy will continue to grow and prosper.BibliographyStanley M. Elam, Lowell C. Rose, and Alec M. Gallup, "The 25th Annual Phi Delta     Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Publics Attitudes Toward the Public Schools,"Phi Delta     Kappan, October 1993, pages 137-152William Kristol and Jay P. Lefkowitz, "Our Students, Still at Risk," New YorkTimes, 3     May 1993, p.A-23Sam Peltzman, "Whats Behind the Decline of Public Schools?" USA Today, July1994,     pages 22-24The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, "More than Survival"1980     copyright by Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, CAGerald W Bracey, "The Third Bracey Report on the Condition of Public Education"Phi     Delta Kappan, October 1993, pages 105-117Jim Fox, "The Wrong Whipping Boy" Phi Delta Kappan, October 1993, pages 118-119