Where is Superman when you really need him? Looking at statistics and watching parts of Davis Guggenheim’s film, ”Waiting for Superman,” we can’t help but be alarmed about America’s students’ education and future. How can our nation and our golden state keep its “scientific and technological excellence” when students lack the fundamentals and proper resources for science and mathematical education?
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| Francine Orr, Los Angeles Times |
Statistics done by the National Assessment of Education Progress and the Broad Residency indicate, “43% of American eight graders do not have a basic understanding of science…and only 10% of elementary students regularly receive hands-on science lessons.” According to the Broad Residency’s K-12 public education statistic, “American students rank 25th in math and 21st in science compared to students in 30 industrialized countries.” The facts are loud, clear and very alarming.
Although statistics paint a grim picture, improving the public private partnership, along with government reforms, might build up our students’ science and math statistics. This will also secure California as well our nation to remain competitive in world markets.
The concept of “public and private partnership in education” plays a major role in the solution of our particular dilemma. Critics might argue that involving for-profit private sector firms in our education system might bring on unwanted changes such as: loss of control, loss of uniformity, loss of democratic values, and segregation of students. However, statistics and research show that recent developments indicate several benefits of this partnership. According to John E. Chubb, founder and chief executive officer of Leeds Global Partner, an international education consulting and services firm, privatization of public schools will bring the element of “economies of scale” to the education sector.
The current bureaucratic system has built an education sector that is failing and inflexible. Privatization will streamline this process and bring in the principle of “scale” where the most effective, cost-efficient, and result producing system would be applied. A for-profit organization can easily adapt this scale to different size school districts, from the very small to the very large. Currently, small districts are unable “to afford the kind of administrative support they need,” and large districts are not “easily governable and accountable.”
Another benefit of privatization would be that, for-profit companies will give the schools the “capability to make financial investments in research and development and comprehensive school reform that public schools can only dream of.” Also since private businesses have far greater freedom to shape their management and customize their work practices and employee contracts, they will clearly focus on the success of our education system without the heavy cost of bureaucracy.
California’s K-12 public school students face many challenges and will certainly benefit from President Obama’s recent efforts. According to a statement made by the White House Office of the Press Secretary, “Public-private investments of more than $250 million will help prepare over 10,000 new math and science teachers and train over 100,000 existing teachers.” President Obama is determined to build “new and innovative partnerships involving major companies, universities, foundations, non-profit organizations and government agencies designed to attract, develop, reward and retain outstanding educators in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).” The expansion of his “Educate to Innovate” campaign will compensate the growing teacher shortage in STEM fields over the next decade. 
Currently teachers in California are still challenged in teaching “science” due to lack of time, resources and proper training. According to a survey of 1100 elementary school teachers “85% said they have not received any training during the last three years.” Due to limited funding, teachers are paying for their own science supplies and are unable to attend training classes. It is not acceptable that the “California Science Project’s funding to train teachers has shrunk to $1.2 million from $9 million in 2002-03.”
Tom Torlakson, CA Superintendent of Public Instruction, claims, “that students well-trained in science, technology, engineering and math — the disciplines known as STEM — are critical to the state's economic prosperity. Fifteen of every 20 new jobs in the state require such skills.”
Clearly California, as well our nation, is in dire need of a reform that will revitalize our education system. Public private partnership is an essential component of this reform. President Obama’s campaign, “Educate to Innovate,” is also a major step towards the right direction. The future of our students depends on the joint efforts of public and private partnerships, which recognize the essential need to reform and revamp our struggling education system.
I don't know about this...as someone who went to private school and witness firsthand the way the administration was run, I would raise a lot of objection to privatization of public schools. Especially at my high school, because of the desire for profits and really profits alone, more money was funneled into our lacrosse team (ranked 21st nationally) than ANY academic programs. Coming out of high school, I felt that I had received an education only just as good as the public school district I had left in the first place. In addition, elitism runs rampant at private schools where how much you pay for education determines your "standing," so to speak, in your grade. And finally, because teachers were under less supervision (because we were unaffiliated with the state and not subject to their regulation)there were an unprecedented amount of scandals involving sexual assault, cheating, cover ups, and more during my tenure. While it may sound good in theory, personal experience has shown me that there is very little merit to the idea than private schools will improve education; rather, it puts academics in the background to other, more superfluous issues like sports and PR.
ReplyDeleteEducation is the vehicle behind American success. It is what has led us to where we are and hopefully what will continue into the future. For all the praying that goes on in this country, it is not god who has paved America with streets of gold, but the ingenuity of the American student. However, this student might become an endangered species if current policies (read, asinine cuts) are continued. We must invest in our present to have a future, and although saving some money might appese Tea Partiers now, it will be to their detriment in their future when they might need a lawyer, doctor, or businessman and are forced to look outside of our borders to find one who is skilled. Invest in our future, whether it be private or public, and eschew calls for cutting educational programs. If our government just acquiesces to calls for educational cuts we mine as well just slit out throat while we're at it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the premise of your blog that public education needs partnership with the private sector. You state that “Privatization will streamline this process and bring in the principle of “scale” where the most effective, cost-efficient, and result producing system would be applied.” and I could not agree more. However I do not think funding or lack thereof is the issue. According to The National Center for Education Statistics, The US spent $10,441 in adjusted dollars per child in 2008, and this has increased every year since 1962. Does this increase in spending correlate to an increase in the quality of the education? We know the answer to that.
ReplyDeleteYou have also left out a major factor to our failing education system and that is bloated administration and the teachers unions. The airtight contracts negotiated by the unions provide teachers with tenure of service making it virtually impossible to fire the bad teachers as evidenced by the “rubber rooms” in the movie Waiting for Superman.
Great post, this has definitely been a growing problem over the years. I think the lack of math and science skills among American students is the product of what is essentially a perfect storm of conditions. As you stated, teachers are not always able to emphasize math and science as much due to time and budget constraints, as well as not receiving enough training in the field. On top of that, math and science seem "nerdy" to a lot of kids in grade school. And finally, it also appears that math, science, and other STEM related fields are just plain more difficult for most students. This could be due to a variety of cultural factors, the way that math and science are taught, or any number of other things. But you are right in saying that if America is to stay competitive in an increasingly globalized economy, we need to do something about this issue fast.
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