Race to the Top: A Nationwide Educational Reform Movement

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For as long as America has had formal education, the need for educational reform has existed alongside it since there exists an ultimate goal of serving all students equally and effectively. Can reform attain this goal? What attributes are desired in a good school, and how can educational reform make more schools rise to this level of performance? According to Arthur W. Foshay, author of The Curriculum Matrix: Transcendence and Mathematics, “The one continuing purpose of education, since ancient times, has been to bring people to as full a realization as possible of what it is to be a human being. Other statements of educational purpose have also been widely accepted: to develop the intellect, to serve social needs, to contribute to the economy, to create an effective work force, to prepare students for a job or career, to promote a particular social or political system” (“What Is the Purpose of Education”). Indeed, the goal of school is to improve the educational system so that student success is maximized through the effectiveness of its teachers and administrators. To this end, school reform ranges from grassroots efforts at the community level, to national, government-run reform such as the current Race to the Top policy whereby schools, districts and states are held accountable for student performance and educational efficiency ("Race to the Top Assessment Program").
Race to the Top is a nationwide educational reform movement with a focus on raising standards that challenge students to be better prepared for college and the workplace. Furthermore, Race to the Top aims to improve data-driven curriculum and to provide new strategies to help struggling schools. President Obama, committed to the future of America’s childre...

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...t resources across all schools in America rather than just affluent, high-performing demographic areas. In this way, all schools can be where students learn academics, as well as how to become positive contributors to society.
Schools provide a powerful influence on students, and therefore serve as a critical issue to the future of America. When students are given the chance to learn, society as a whole benefits from their contributions to the world. As shown by educational research, schools can provide the best influence for their students through educational reforms such as Race to The Top which advocates the collaboration of schools to prepare students for college and the workplace. By adhering to this rigorous reform program, the educational system in American can successfully provide students the skills they need in order to effectively function in society.

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