Dear Readers,
American schools have, for decades, pushed the needs of students and families to the back of the line in favour of federal funding and academic status as it relates to test scores. Since the adoption of Common Core standards and the implementation of standardized testing, there has been a sharp decline in student achievement. Public schools, to no fault of their own, prioritize state and federal programs to the chagrin of their teachers, who often postulate far better ways to improve school culture, academic instruction and assessment, and overall student success.
Education, as an industry, is now too big to fail; without definitive action towards that which actually educates and betters the lives of students, the deficit will only grow larger.
Standards that Matter
Common Core standards are essentially learning objectives. A universal way for schools and school districts to determine what teachers will be teaching and what students will be learning. The introduction of learning standards is a relatively modern and American innovation, which was a direct response to the 1983 report, "A Nation at Risk."
This report highlighted the lackluster academic abilities of students across the nation. Before the implementation of state standards and subsequently nationwide standards, local districts and campuses were responsible for creating curriculum and assessments for pupils. Yet, even since the adoption of these standards, students have continued to falter.
Why?
This is largely because they focus more on knowledge than skills or the ability to truly learn, as reflected in how students are assessed against these standards.
For example, every state has a standard that reads something like “the student is expected to paraphrase and summarize texts that maintain meaning and logical order.” There is nothing wrong with the standard itself, but rather how students are tested. Often, district and state tests do not ask students to summarize a text while maintaining logical order and meaning, as they frequently practice doing in class. Instead, they provide students with a selection of four summaries and ask them to choose the best one.
See the problem?
Multiple-choice tests, when used too frequently, can be detrimental to students' cognitive abilities. Especially since standardized tests determine the success of teachers and districts, they will “teach to the test” to achieve the best possible results.
Regardless of the subject matter, students should be asked to provide an answer, not simply choose one.
Deincentivize the System
While public schools are just that, public, they often attempt to operate like a business, despite their lack of business acumen. The only problem is they can’t fail as a business does; if a business fails to produce, it goes under. When a school fails to deliver, oftentimes nothing happens. The system in which the majority of schools operate does not allow for the chance of failure.
If there is nothing to lose, one would surmise that there is also nothing to gain. Schools will continue to fail because, without proper incentives, such as being shut down and everyone on that campus losing their job, they have no reason to innovate or improve. Schools and districts seek to secure federal and state grants based on the status of their students. Examples include ESL students, students with special education needs, racial minority groups, or economically disadvantaged students.
Often, schools with large populations of any of these groups tend to underperform academically. Yet the schools benefit financially from these designations. While it is important to help those less fortunate, it is just as important to uphold standards that accomplish the goals of the school. Primarily, with students succeeding in reading, writing, arithmetic, the study of history and the natural world, and, most importantly, learning how to learn.
However, by allowing schools to continue failing without proper repercussions, we incentivize a system that breeds failure, not success.
The Proper Steps to Prosperity
First and foremost, schools must be held accountable for the results they produce. Parents and families have a right to a quality education, especially since their tax dollars support it.
Students must be assessed in ways that accurately reflect what they’ve been taught and push them to synthesize ideas and think critically; multiple choice questions (for the most part) just aren’t cutting it.
Lastly, the attitude surrounding education must change. The discussions within educational circles need to be state and nationwide. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that the government cannot and will not resolve this issue. These issues must be brought to light within the communities wherein they reside and resolved by those communities, not governmental powers. We must instill a sense of responsibility in current and future generations.
No more relying on the government to try to fix problems they created.
We fix the issues together.
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Thanks for reading!
I appreciate you taking the time to engage with these ideas. I hope this newsletter gave you something to think about.
If you want to go deeper, check out my reading list, where I share the books that have radicalized me.
Also, I have a podcast called The Modern Republic. On this podcast, I see how many times I can say "um" or "you know" in a thirty-minute window. It's a hoot.
This week's episode:
Ep. 019: Learning to Persevere
In this episode, I explore how education, perseverance, and societal values intersect, critiquing a system that too often encourages quitting, questioning the true purpose of higher education, and sharing a brief update on my own academic path.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Watch on YouTube.
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See you next time!
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