The Decline of The U.S. Education System

Education in the United States has long been a concerned issue for teachers, parents, and communities. It is a major political topic, in which government has shown continuous efforts to compare and evaluate standards from state to state by creating and monitoring various programs for overall academic improvement across the country.

Proper education has now become a moral necessity in order for individuals and societies to grow and succeed. Some of the major issues in the U.S. educational system consist of lack of equality in education, and decline in academic test scores. The U.S. spends more per student than any OECD nation, and other countries also seemingly invest funds differently than us. In addition, most countries invest money where the challenges are greatest Many have emphasized higher teacher salaries as oppose to smaller class sizes. Largely, they emphasize teachers specializing in a specific profession. (US Department of Education, 2010, para. 25)

Inadequate education has a compelling impact on industry, innovation, health and economy. According to The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) “The price of educational failure is high. People with lower levels of education are more likely to be unemployed and less able to contribute both to their own well-being and to that of their societies” (www.oecd.org)

In a 2009 global comparison conducted by Programme for International Assessment (PISA), the U.S. education system ranked well below countries such as Shanghai-China, Korea, and Finland. This study is conducted every three years assessing 15 year olds from 65 different countries with an evaluation of efficiency, and quality of the school systems. The 2009 survey imposed a great focus on read...

... middle of paper ...

...onomic Co-operation and Development. (2011). Education at a Glance 2011OECD Indicators [Country Notes-United States]. Retrieved from www.oecd.org: www.oecd.org/dataoecd/7/32/48685294.pdf

U.S. Department of Education. (2010, December 7, 2010). Secretary Arne Duncan’s Remarks at OECD’s Release of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 Results [Report brief]. Retrieved from ED.gov: http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/secretary-arne-duncans-remarks-oecds-release-program-international-student-assessment

US Department of Education. (2010, December 7, 2010). Secretary Arne Duncan’s Remarks at OECD’s Release of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 Results [Report brief]. Retrieved from ED.gov: www.ed.gov

U.S Department of Education. (2012). Advancing Civic Learning in Democracy (). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.