Education in America: No Child Left Behind
By Phyllis Naegeli
1 America is a great country with great people. However, our public schools and teachers are dealing with many issues that stifle their ability to educate children. Schools are crowded. Some have to deal with violence. Red tape and paperwork keep educators busy outside of teaching the regular subjects. Our public education system in America needs help. Fixing the problems is complex. Money, government programs, hiring and training teachers can help. But, putting it all together to solve the problems can be difficult.
2 One of the biggest problems is money. There's just no way around it. Education is expensive. In 2002, the average cost for public education per student per year was $7,500. Think about that. If there are 23 children in your classroom, it costs $172,500 per year to run your class! This includes paying your teacher, buying books and supplies, and paying art, music, and gym teachers. It also includes helping to pay for the administration of your school - the principal, vice-principal, guidance counselors, secretaries, and nurse. Money is used to provide heat, water, electricity, and maintenance. Most of the money comes from taxes collected in cities and towns. But, the citizens who pay the taxes often complain that they pay too much. What can schools do when they don't have enough money from local taxes? They must turn to the state and federal government to help them.
3 Beginning in 1965, the federal government stepped in to help. As part of his plan to help end poverty, President Lyndon Johnson initiated the first program to send funds to local schools - The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Chapter 1 of this act was the beginning of the Title 1 Program to help poor and disadvantaged children receive a high quality education.
4 Then in 1980, the Department of Education was formed. Their mission is to promote excellence in public education across America. The department is responsible for overseeing the programs that provide money to schools. They promote awareness of education and provide equal access to all students. Did you know they also want to know how you are doing in school? It's true; they research and collect information about the educational progress of students.
5 The next program, the Improving America's School Act, reinstituted ESEA. Its goals included teacher-training, safe and drug-free schools, lowering the dropout rate, improving curriculum, and getting parents more involved. Title 1 of this program (formerly Chapter 1 of ESEA) provided grants to poor schools for hiring teachers, teacher-aides, and for school-wide programs to enhance education.
6 The newest program to come from Washington is the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Signed into law by President Bush in 2002, it is a sweeping reform and reauthorization of ESEA. Under NCLB, Title 1 schools receive federal funds to enhance learning for economically disadvantaged students. The goal is for 100% of the students in these schools to become proficient in reading, math, and science by 2014.
7 NCLB has four basic principles to be used in Title 1 schools.
8 1) Curriculum and methods should be scientifically proven to promote learning.
