Current efforts to change schools fall into two general categories. The first embodies decentralization of administrative power to school sites, much akin to a popular movement to move many governmental social functions such as welfare to state and regional levels. The second is to create competition among school districts for students, a key tenet of the industrialized world that purports to deliver a greater range of products and services at a price the market will bear. When parents have the option of sending their children to more than one school, the term "school choice" is often applied.
There are many factors involved in creating a good learning environment for children. There is little evidence that decentralization as the first (or only) element of an educational program of school restructuring is a successful strategy. Changes in governance may be critical to restructuring when they occur along with other activities that are designed to enhance student learning, and when they function to support this goal (Conley, 1993). Recent problems in commercially managed schools in Baltimore and Hartford may be indicative of combinatorial effects of complex factors that can render seemingly well thought out plans ineffectual in satisfying the communities they serve.
In this paper I will detail the reasons for my support of school choice, because its success does not necessarily rely on a change in all of the educational institutions involved. Rather, school choice allows a fundamental shift in how we participate in the education of our children. It involves the act of volition, and constitutes a practice that had generally been reserved for most other aspects of American society: free choice.
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... and what they will produce will continue to rise. Heightened expectations will perpetuate the continual cycle of change; change that will produce schools that are constantly striving for better learning environments for their students.
Works Cited
Conley, David T. (1993). A Roadmap to Restructuring, ERIC clearinghouse on Educational Management
Finn, C. E., and Ravitch, D. (1995) Magna Charter? A Report Card on School Reform in 1995, http://www.heritage.org/heritage/p_review/fall95/thfinn.html
Martin, M. (1991). Trading the Known for the Unknown, Warning Signs in the Debate over School Choice. Education and Urban Society, 23, 2.
McClaughry, John, (1995). Educational Choice: It really works in Vermont.
http://www.heartland.org/worksVT.htm
School District Profiles--What the Details Mean Parent Information Center,
In the article “Against School”, John Taylor Gatto urges Americans to see the school system as it really is: testing facilities for young minds, with teachers who are pounding into student 's brains what society wants. Gatto first explains that he taught for 30 years at the best and worst schools in Manhattan. He claims to have firsthand experience of the boredom that students and teachers struggle with. Gatto believes that schooling is not necessary, and there are many successful people that were self-educated. He then explains the history and importance of mandatory schooling.
Ravitch, Diane. "The Success of Charter Schools is a Myth." 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Document. 20 November 2013. .
She realized that choice and accountability were not the answer, but that curriculum and instruction were more viable solutions to America’s educational dilemma. Ravitch suggests that to abandon public schools is to abandon the institution that supports our concepts of democracy and citizenship and to the promise of American life (Ravitch, 2011, p. 12-14). The idea of school choice is rooted in Milton Friedman’s essay concerning the government’s role in education. Friedman asserted that society should support and contribute to the maximum freedom of the individual or the family. He maintained that the government should provide vouchers to help support parents financially on their children’s education, which parents could use at the school of their choosing; so long as the school met set standards. Therefore, this creation of choice would stimulate competition, which Friedman believed would increase the development and improvement of nonpublic schools, as well as, create a variety of school options (Ravitch, 2011, p. 115). As a result of the choice movement, the public received three versions of school choice: voucher schools, private schools, and charter schools. Each of these schools receives public funding, but do not operate as traditional public schools, and are not managed by a government agency (Ravitch, 2011, p. 121). Charter schools became the most popular choice of this new
Schools may not be equally available to all students and thereby result in unequal treatment for those not eligible to attend or not selected. Public schools could become "dumping grounds" if the "good" students were to leave and go to charter schools. The drain of funds from the public schools could also present a problem. Transportation issues would arise as well as a reexamination of state athletic association rules and regulations. Choices to attend may not be made on the basis of attending a better school or district but because the school is closer to childcare, it's perceived as easier, more convenient or has better extracurricular activities. Lawsuits could arise due to the fact that the schools would make promise regarding school performance and/or educational offerings that might not materialize. Schools could file for bankruptcy. Other issues include possible discrimination toward students and violation of state of federal laws.
Raymond, Margaret E. (2014, February 1). To no avail: A critical look at the charter school debate. Phi Delta Kappan, Vol.95 (5) pp.8-12. http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=6aa05956-5bfe-43eb-9eec-b90be0fefa60%40sessionmgr113&vid=9&hid=125
Wheeler, Timothy. “There’s a Reason They Choose Schools.” National Reviewer 11 Oct. 2007. Rpt. in Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2014. 618-20. Print.
What is your definition of gun control? In the essay “There is a reason they choose schools”, you will discover what gun control means to Timothy Wheeler. Wheeler is a major part of the organization, Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership. He has written an essay in which he is trying to prove that without being able to use self-defense, guns pose a public health risk. Wheeler has worked with many physicians, medical students, and scientist who support his theory. By doing extensive studies in previous gun violence cases, they want to prove guns are more than just a health issue, they are a health crisis. Not only to those who carry them, but also to those who don’t. In many of these studies, they used schools as the primary target of gun violence.
Many Americans do not question the credibility of the education system within the country because they believe it forms good citizens and creates a stepping-stone to success. John Taylor Gatto is an American teacher who has experience in the classroom for thirty years and has now devoted his life to critiquing American schools exploiting his own experiences. In his essay “Against School”, he argues that the 12-year system of school may not be necessary, due to its curriculum, and that it may be a tactic of manipulation from the government to promote obedience. I agree with his argument because there are many paths to individual success outside of public education, such as homeschooling or vocational school.
Wilson, Steven F., and Research American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy. Success At Scale In Charter Schooling. Education Outlook. No. 3. American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, 2009. ERIC. Web. 11 Nov. 2011.
The gap between the nation’s best and worst public schools continues to grow. Our country is based on freedom and equality for all, yet in practice and in the spectrum of education this is rarely the case. We do not even have to step further than our own city and its public school system, which many media outlets have labeled “dysfunctional” and “in shambles.” At the same time, Montgomery County, located just northwest of the District in suburban Maryland, stands as one of the top school systems in the country. Within each of these systems, there are schools that excel and there are schools that consistently measure below average. Money alone can not erase this gap. While increased spending may help, the real problem is often rooted in the complex issues of social, cultural, and economic differences. When combined with factors involving the school itself and the institution that supports it, we arrive at what has been widely known as the divide between the suburban and urban schools. Can anything actually be done to reverse this apparent trend of inequality or are the outside factors too powerful to change?
United States Department of Education (1997). Overview of Charter Schools. Retrieved April 3, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://uscharterschools.org/pub/uscs_docs/gi/overview.htm
Betts, Julian. Getting choice right: ensuring equity and efficiency in education policy. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2005.
The Public Choice For some parents, deciding on a school for their children can be a difficult decision. Many parents do not spend much time thinking about it; they place their children into the local school designated by where they live. Others attended a private school themselves and found that it was a beneficial experience and therefore want the same for their kids. But which is better: private schools or public schools? While there are many advantages and disadvantages to each (nothing is going to be absolutely perfect), we are going to focus on the benefits of an education in the public school system, or in other words, schools funded by the government that are for anyone to attend.
In today’s American society, quality education is important for one to succeed. Without proper education, a person will find it extremely difficult to apply for college, a job, or to pursue his or her dream. Typically when Americans think of education, public education is the first to come to mind. Public education has been around for centuries and is provided to most children throughout the United States. Due to this fact, public education has been the go to education source for years. Though, this trend is slowly changing with many parents deciding to home school their children instead. Many factors are the cause for this issue, but the common arguments arise from a certain few. For students, public school provides many opportunities ranging from social connections, school sports, and the exposure to teachers who are experts in their fields. But homeschooling is often superior because it offers additional time for students to participate in various extracurricular activities and community service, allows for more individual attention, personal character development, and it offers less exposure to discrimination that is received in the public school environment.
The future of education is very promising to younger generations. From Kindergarten though college many changes are brewing. On the horizon are things like smart objects, full-length online courses, and prosthetic devices designed to equalize education.