Introduction to the Research Question
Compared to other leading world countries the United States invests a significant amount more on education. In 2010 alone, the United States spent about 39 percent more for each full-time student in elementary and secondary schools than other countries, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. However, spending more money on education does not always equate better education. Nevertheless, the United States continues to pump money into a failing education system that is still feeling the ripples of segregation.
Low-income and minority students are the individuals and groups that are the most negatively affected by the United States educational failure. The number of Hispanic students in the United States is expected to grow 33 percent by 2020 and the number of multi-racial students are expected to grow 44 percent, however their educational future does not look bright. Historically, minorities are the most likely to be impoverished. Dozens of policies have been drafted and implemented in order to fix this problem, however the solutions have not worked, since at least 50 percent of elementary school students are now attending schools where the majority of students are low income and minority. The high poverty, educational environment the students are in leads to less high school graduation and college attendance, thus in turn will lead to a large population that will burden the United States economy later on in areas such as healthcare and welfare.
On average, minorities attend schools that have less-experienced, lower-paid teachers who are less likely to be certified, poor graduation records, and high poverty rates. Many studies suggest that racial diversity is the key to...
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...cuses on the whole student body, not just one particular group, however both still lack the concrete evidence on how socioeconomically integrated schools benefit more over racially diverse educational institutions.
Socioeconomically integrated schools are not a novel idea nor are they impossible to achieve. The first socioeconomic integrated school was in La Crosse, Wisconsin in the 1980s. This district re-draw their school boundaries to create more school diversity. In 1992, La Crosse the new boundaries were created so that the amount of students receiving free lunch were distributed more evenly throughout all schools, not just segregating the low income students to one area of the district. After over 20 years of socioeconomic integration, low-income students in La Crosse generally perform better on state assessments than low-income students statewide (Mial, 2007).
In conclusion, the Academic Achievement has been fueled by society's presets, minority students' lack of effort, and the failures of the schooling system in America. There has been some challenging setbacks, but the Gap can be fixed to create a common ground for all prospective members of America's society to excel on equally. By realizing that change can be achieved, there are little to no limits for minority students to create a better mindset towards education. Students, parents, and teachers have to be willing to work together, as well as tackle obstacles upheld by society, and the economic deficiencies that effect schools across America. This will, in turn, take America one step closer to closing the Academic Achievement Gap in America.
While differentiating instruction and being able to design lessons geared towards the needs of diverse learners are currently highly prized skills for teachers, this has not always been the case. The history of education in the United States is a history of segregation. Even today, schools and curriculum are designed to meet the needs of a core group of students, which does not include students with disabilities (Hitchcock, Meyer, Rose, & Jackson, 2002). In the past, learners who were different, out of the mainstream, or did not fit into the mold to which teachers taught (were not part of the core) learned how or lost out on learning. This is not to say that teachers of the past did not care about their students, about being effective teachers, or about student learning. However, as schools are mirrors reflecting mainstream societal norms (Chartock, 2010; Delpit, 2006)—and, given that our society has not always valued diversity in people, be it due to disability, class, culture, or race—teachers in the past have largely focused their efforts where they could earn the largest return on their investment: the average student .
A key to ending the cycle of poverty, is educational equity. In America today, public education is unequal racially and socioeconomically (Honda 11). Internationally, America is not excelling academically. When looking closely at American student’s Program for
Inequalities in Education Funding inequalities have been an issue from past to present, especially in the low-income communities. In fact, students in urban areas with less funding have low attendance, score lower on standardized testing, and a low graduation rate. Also subjected to outdated textbooks, old dilapidated buildings, students in the inner cities need to compete with their suburban and wealthy counterparts for this reason funding inequalities must end and more money should be directed to these communities from federal, state, and local governments. Frank Johnson, a writer for the National Center for Education Statistics, “Disparities in Public School Spending.”
Peske, Heather G., and Kati Haycock. "Teaching Inequality: How Poor and Minority Students Are Shortchanged on Teacher Quality: A Report and Recommendations by the Education Trust." Education Trust. N.p., June 2006. Web. 12 Jan. 2014.
A minority student is generally classified as belonging to a lower-income family than the average white American, who is classified by earning a higher income. A student belonging to a low-income family will not have the same opportunities as a student from a high-income background. A student from a high-income family will be able to afford more study aids and supplies. A student from a low-income family, generally a minority, does not have access to these resources. Because they frequently cannot afford the same materials as their white counterparts, they generally do not perform as strongly on standardized tests. Wealthy families are generally very well educated. They have greater knowledge of how to guide their children in the right direction for academic success. Some can afford a private school with better teachers and a more comfortable learning environment. Paying for college is easier, and academics often take greater priority in these well-to-do households. Usually, poorer families have a harder time paying for college and supporting their children. Schools in low-income areas tend to lack funding for good teachers and supplies because of their financial situation. More often than not, the main goal of these families is to have their children get through high school so that they can begin ea...
In America, the idea of equality between people is important, it is in fact, written into the Constitution. However, for years the American educational system has operated in a completely inequitable manner due, in part, to the way that schools are funded, mostly through local or property taxes. The differences between schools in wealthy neighborhoods and those in poor neighborhoods are, many times, reminiscent of the differences between white schools and black schools before the end of segregation. While there is a desperate need to fix this broken system, there has been little progress. The issue is so divisive and the problem so big and entrenched in American laws, many politicians refuse to even attempt to come up with a solution. The answer lies with the federal government. To make American public schools equitable the federal government needs to step up its role in funding and administering the schools.
The. Landsman, Julie G., and Chance W. Lewis. White Teachers / Diverse Classrooms: Creating Inclusive Schools, Building on Students' Diversity, and Providing True Educational Equity. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, 2011. Print. The.
Education is an integral part of society, school helps children learn social norms as well as teach them how to be successful adults. The school systems in United States, however are failing their students. In the world as a whole, the United States is quickly falling behind other countries in important math and reading scores. The United States ranked thirtieth in math on a global scale and twentieth in literacy. This is even more true in more urban, lower socio-economic areas in the United States. These schools have lower test scores and high dropout rates. In Trenton Central High School West, there was an 83% proficiency in literacy and only 49% of the students were proficient in math. Many of these students come from minority backgrounds and are often from low income families. There are many issues surrounding these urban schools. There is a severe lack of proper funding in these districts, and much of the money they do receive is sanctioned for non-crucial things. Schools also need a certain level of individualization with their students, and in many urban classes, this simply does not happen. While there are many factors affecting the low performance of urban schools, the lack of proper funding and distribution of funds, the cultural divide between teachers and students in urban districts, along with the lack of individualization in urban classrooms are crucial reasons to explain the poor performance in these districts. Through a process of teacher lead budget committees and further teacher education, urban schools can be transformed and be better equipped to prepare their students for the global stage.
Unfortunately for impoverished and minority students, this is where they fall short. According to Brookings.edu, Schools based in communities primarily composed of low-income and minority students have fewer necessary instructional resources. Students in these communities and social class tend to lack such materials as books, core curriculum, computers, and even quality teachers. Teachers working in schools servicing low-income and minority students are usually inexperienced or underqualified. In addition to this, these teachers are required to teach significantly larger class sizes. Many of these schools don’t even offer the necessary math and science classes needed to advance to college (Hammond). Completing college is also a challenge for individuals who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Just as in grammar schools and high schools, the quality of education within colleges need to improve. Relying on one’s own knowledge is the key in receiving upward mobility because of the financial obstacles associated with attending a University. The article “Economic Inequality and Higher Education”
There seems to be obvious differences in the education system all over America. It caters the upper class majority and it is biased to the ones that serve the lower and middle class minority. There is a strong undercurrent of racial inequality in today's school systems that negatively affect the quality of education that its students receive. A schools potential to give a proper education often depends on the perspective economic, and social, or perhaps the racial backgrounds of its students.
Diversity in classrooms is both positive and negative. However, if teachers are provided with the right resources and keep a open mind, their students can become successful civil human beings.
Hispanics are the fastest growing minority group and will soon be the bulk of the U.S. work force. Without education these people will not be able to get jobs and everyone will be affected.
Palardy, G., and R. Rumberger. Does Desegregation Matter?: The of Social Composition on Academic Achievement in Southern High Schools. N.p.: University of North Carolina, 2005. Print.
In Charlotte, North Carolina the first year of desegregation via busing was rough. There were parents pulling their children from school, boycotts of the school and the students were assaulting each other. But after a couple of years later things changed, Tina Gouge, a white student in Charlotte, said “We learned to adjust to each other and we get along a whole lot better” (NYT). Busing worked but it did take time to see the benefits, students of color and white students stopped fighting and got along and white students were able to experience other cultural practices. There are also more academic benefits to school integration, for each year that a black student attended an integrated school their chances of graduating increased by 2%, this is due to the fact that schools that were being court supervised to not be segregated put more money into individual students than other schools. Black students that attend court ordered desegregated schools also have a 15% increase in their wages; these effects of integration had no negative impact on white students. It is important to understand the difference between desegregation and integration “Integration is creative, and is therefore more profound and far-reaching than desegregation. Integration is the positive acceptance of desegregation and the welcomed participation of Negroes in the total range of human activities. Integration is genuine intergroup, interpersonal doing.” (Lewis, Diamond, Forman). Desegregation was placed on the students of Charlotte, North Carolina but after the first few, and somewhat rocky, years the students achieved integration. It is integration that can help students not just desegregation because desegregation is something, flat, less personal, while integration is an active attempt by individuals to come