Committee to examine education funding News Article

Committee to examine education funding
News Article
This explains the state Board of Education is planning on meeting to look over the funding. The potential members that may plan to attend this meeting were not specified but can be assumed to be chairmen of the state Education Committee as well as representatives from different groups that have testified before the board about school funding changes. They seem to be all over the place at the moment. It seems to be a stressful time where not many question can be answer but many are being brought up. Fleishmann said “It’s a bit of a crazy quilt that we have right now, and we should have a better designed system… What makes sense is having dollars follow students so the state doesn’t end up with too many situations here it is paying more than once for the education of one child,” (Fleishmann). He is explaining that they are working to create a better system that will take the money that is being put into the education program and make it an investment rather then an temporary fix. I agree that the current way that money is being used is not progressive and is only wasting time. It is important that there are people working to make a change in the system before it is too late.
The idea to follow the new “money follows the child,” (Benton) proposal was not acted upon. This was going to be used to replace the current system of pupil grants. The legislature is now reviewing the new idea would end up coasting the state about $ 5 million in the next fiscal year. one of the reasons the idea was emplaced was to proved a “Reduced role of local property taxes in education funding.” (Benton). I can understand why people would want this in a time of rescission but I don’t know if it is realistic. I think it is great that people are taking the current situation seriously but change is generally a costly affair. It is a bold move to change a system but could end up benefiting the students greatly. I feel Benton shared the information about the possible change of school funding in a very interesting fashion.

"Committee to examine education funding." New Haven Register (New Haven, CT). (Feb 4, 2010): NA. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 11 Feb. 2010 .

Opposing viewpoints The Quality of Public Education Has Declined

Opposing viewpoints
The Quality of Public Education Has Declined

In this article is tom Bethell’s explanation on why public education in America had lost the strength that it once held. Tom Bethell explains that performance in American’s public education has gone down gradually since 1970. He explains that this problem is not only a threat to our countries future but also an embarrassment considering the money that we have put into these programs. “The budget of the Department of Education rose from $14 billion to $55 billion.”(Tom Bethell). That is a $41 billion dollar difference, and instead of seeing the American money being put to good use the system has only provided lower test scores. They have made what would seem to be productive changes, such as creating smaller classes and raising teacher salaries but these have yet to provide a productive out come.
I feel frustrated to read this. He shares straight facts that show the lack of progression but we aren’t going down without a fight. The country is putting effort in but not in a constructive manner apparently. I agree that there need to be changes but they should be thought through more carefully and more planned out because the current strategies are not working.
The information that could supply reasoning for these results isn’t much. He shares the school year used to be seven days longer then it is currently, but I don’t feel that those seven days are truly enough to make the difference that is at hand. He also explains that teachers with different master’s degrees in subjects other than education have fallen and is currently at 5 percent. I feel that although that is an odd trend that has taken place, I don’t think it is the most important back round information that he could have offered. He then shares that teacher’s salaries have increased as well as their benefits. I don’t that this could be a bad thing, but maybe it sets in a doming plan for teachers, allowing them to focus more on the money rather then their passion for education.
The slump that we are reaching in education is no ones fault but our own. We have led our education systems to this point, and have now gotten trapped in a dead end. He quotes Nation at Risk which compares our action to “an act of war” (Nation at Risk) against us. He feels that we have weakened ourselves and now we must change this path.
Bethell also points out that another problem in our educational system relates to something other then school days, it relates to race. The inner cities schools are trapped with schools were almost nothing is learned, while the middle class is benefiting from a quality education. One solution to this problem is to “introduce a competitive environment, accountability and choices,” (Hauser). Another idea is the voucher program. This was attempted in Milwaukee. This program was the processes of supplying vouchers to people that were in need, mostly being the poor and minority families. There are arguments that this isn’t a new change, that minorities were doing the same then as they are now, but the gap was the same as it is now, so how could they possibly expected to improve. I feel that the gap between classes and the education program is disturbing. I don’t want to believe that there our children in this country that aren’t given the right to a proper education. America is the land of opportunity but that name is only mocking to all of those that aren’t given a fair chance to succeed in life. As a result of the education system Hispanic students and blacks students are majority in 46 or 57 of the city schools, while “There are 15,000 school districts nationwide, a mere 10 districts educate 19 percent of all black schoolchildren” (Tom Bethell). I don’t understand how it is even possible for these numbers to be true. To have only ten school districts educate only nineteen percent of all black school children is embarrassing. I feel guilty for belonging to such a corrupted country that would allow this system to continue for so long.
Bethell then goes back to the idea that the teachers unions could be to blame for the decline in the education system. The fight to protect jobs and increase benefits is the common goal of these unions. I feel that unions are a productive part of American history and most likely a necessary aspect to the teacher program today. The Hoover Task Force idea varies from the outline of the unions. The Hoover plan is to reward good work by teachers and punish those that fail.
Over all although much more money has gone into the support of education there haven’t been positive results yet. It is frustrating to still not see the light after all of the work and money that seems to be going into it. I feel that they could still be looking at the wrong places and getting to picky about details. It could be a more general, or overall change that needs to be made to the system.
When being compared to other nations America lacks. Our gap provides two separate groups to be rated. While those stuck in the inner city fail on a more severe level, the people that grow in the middle class aren’t doing as well as it was once thought.

Bethell, Tom. "The Quality of Public Education Has Declined." Opposing Viewpoints: Education. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 10 Feb. 2010 .

Opposing Viewpoints The Quality of Public Education Has Not Declined

Opposing Viewpoints
The Quality of Public Education Has Not Declined
IN this article Gerald W. Bracey explains how there is no recent crisis in the American education program. Bracey shares that there are some people that will never be happy in a matter that sounds almost immature.
Bracey reflects on the past twenty years of America and found that “… Some of our most prominent business leaders and politicians have sounded the same alarm about the nation’s public schools.” (Gerald W. Bracey) He feels that this alarm repetitive and pointless. I think that it is interesting to question the idea of change to our education program when it is promoted by so many people. I feel that his writing comes off as angry when referring to the common opinion. Bracey explains that support for the changes in the education systems is generally based on the relationship of the country’s economy to “How well or poorly students bubbled in answer sheets on standardized tests.”(Gerald W. Bracey). He seems to be mocking the business leaders and politicians that he had referred to before. I feel I can understand why he feels so upset about the rash changes that people are pushing for but I feel that the negative approach that was taken makes me more resistant when seeing his point. He gets upset by the ideas that the blame of the economic down turns are always placed on the education systems, but then never receive the owed reward during the improvement.
At this point in the reading I found myself frustrated by his one-sided approach. I felt that he was coming off as stubborn in his writing. As the article continued Bracey changed his attitude. Bracey seemed to lower his attack on the rest of the world and explain more information openly. He started by saying “I don’t mean to suggest, of course, that American’s public schools are perfect.” (Gerald W. Bracey). Bracey embraced the fact that the American education system isn’t perfect allowing me to see more eye to eye with his information. It made his point seem more realistic. Starting off with the idea that there are changes that needed to be made to the program seemed unrealistic and child like, but when he expanded on his theory, it became more realistic. Bracey explains that although the system has problems the people that are demanding change are looking at the wrong spots. They are blaming the economic trends on schools. He basically calls the educational program the scapegoat of American economy. I understand that Bracey is trying to point out the rashness behind these ideas. There should be change that is made but not in the way that is trendy now.
The test scores that are generally used to rate the systems are skimmed and not fully understood. He seems to feel that people are taking these numbers as small picture. They only focus on one selected idea while ignoring the rest of the information that’s surrounding it. Bracey explained that it is easy to see our mathematics sore was 29th, and ignore that our competitiveness is ranked 2nd. The place in mathematics isn’t the only factor to be looked at while determining the change that our country should act on. Bracey went even further and shared that only seven countries have a direct relationship between their test scores and competitiveness. People judge our country on small things as if to only point out the negatives. They fail to notice that our country is doing incredibly well.
Our country supports an education system that supports creative ways of thinking. We expand on different styles that promote modern ideas. Although we don’t have the highest test scores Bracey doesn’t think it’s the end of the world, “Innovation is itself a complicated affair, but my guess is that it is not linked to test scores, if anything, too much testing discourages innovative thinking.”(Gerald W. Bracey). He is supportive in the country and is showing the good things that often get over looked. I feel that his ideas are logical but no one is interested in happy things, people only like to hear problems and new ideas for the future.

Bracey, Gerald W. "The Quality of Public Education Has Not Declined." Opposing Viewpoints: Education. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 10 Feb. 2010 .

The Information Revolution Has Created a Digital Divide

The Information Revolution Has Created a Digital Divide
This article explains that our countries advances with technology had provided great chances for students that can access computers but for students that don’t have those opportunities; it has created a large gap. Because most middle class public schools have become so greatly dependent on computers it teaches those students many important skills that will be surrounding their future. Students that aren’t able to have computers are then trapped within the past ways of education, and are almost stuck in the past. They are limited in what they would like to study or advance to because not having a computer places a strong handicap on students. The people that have been split by to digital divide are now one of the country’s largest issues. The divide has cause “Minorities, low-income persons, he less educated, and children of single- parent households, particularly when they reside in rural areas or central cities…” (Larry Irving), to be separated from the rest of the world that is constantly being pushed by the advances in technology. Although people are working to end this problem it is still apparent in many parts of the country. The people that are raised without a computer are shown a completely different way of life.
It is surprising to read that there are people that have never used a computer. I often use a computer at least two times a day. Our school works seems to revolve around technology in every class. A school that doesn’t have multiple computer labs, or offer laptops that you can use when ever needed in the library, doesn’t seem normal. The things that I have taken advantage of for my whole education are now being shown in an angry article. I think it is important to see that others are very limited in their schooling in hopes that it will encourage schools like ours to give back, while also teaching students to be great full for what they are given.


The Information Revolution Has Created a Digital Divide." Opposing Viewpoints: The Information Revolution. Laura K. Egendorf. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 8 Feb. 2010
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Local School Boards Should Have More Control over Education Spending

Local School Boards Should Have More Control over Education Spending
This article explains how as schools are growing the gap between public middle class schools and public inner city schools are growing as well. This gap has been shown through the No Child Left Behind Act. At this point there is the “tradition of local control has been shaken to its core, beset by a rash of state and federal mandates, battles over consolidation and choice, and the growth of well-funded national organizations that have placed schools at the center of the political and culture wars.” (Glenn Cook). The changes that are starting to take place are coming fast and rash. There are so many different ideas on how to make improvements to the system that it is being over done and overwhelming the old system. It is important to fully develop an idea before rushing into that could put a child’s future at risk. IN the end it seems to be a fight for control. Parents want their best for their child and most feel that the only way to achieve this is by having the control in their own hands. While the school board feels that they could effectively make changes and plans if they were aloud the opportunity to have more control and power. The scale for these public schooling issue doesn’t stop there it is spread throughout the country as a whole.
It was pointed out that we have increased our spending on education, but some feel that we aren’t putting the money into the right spots. They feel that they are wasting the money instead of making it a growing investment. It is a difficult time to be dealing with money, being in a recession everything dealing with money has even more attention drawn to it. The idea of shifting money becomes very controversial. It raises question such as, who should be deciding where this money is going? How do you prioritize what really is a necessity when it comes to a child’s education? It was an interesting article that I would like to look more into and find more information about.

Journal update on educatoin

When I started blogging I felt very uncomfortable. Every night it would be difficult to bring myself to get myself on the blog. I have now become more used to blogging but it’s still a little odd for me. I am doing education for my topic. At first I felt trapped because I assumed that the largest issue would most likely be segregated schools, and we had already covered that in class. I decided to go in a different direction though. I am now looking at the creation of public education. I have gone back to the 1800’s and am researching people like Horace Mann and Henry Barnard. It is interesting how controversial public education was while being created. To educate all people not just the ones with money seemed contour productive to most people. I am planning on moving forward to the first public schools and how they were run and looking into the McGuffey’s First Eclectic Reader which a major part of the education program.

Horace Mann, 1842 Journal

The Pecuniary Value of educatoin by Horace Mann, 1842.
Horace Mann had been giving speeches in gain support for public education. This was his Fifth Annual Report and it was used to support the poor. He used this to show people that public education would benefit the population as a whole.
He understands that it is not a common goal of the population to have public education but it is a necessity none the less. It is important for people to demand public education. He is well aware of “Thousands who are now indifferent about the education of their offspring because they foresee no reimbursement in kind, no return in money, or in money’s worth, for money expended.” (Horace Mann) but that doesn’t mean that the reasons are not there. It goes deeper then a short term money loss. Horace Mann works to explain to the people that their money that is being used now will give them an opportunity for their children to make more, it will provide them with a more informed population, and a better government over all. Education isn’t an item you buy that will at some point lose its value, education is an investment in a child’s future. The people of the country have to see that this is goal is not for one person or one social class, this should be a common goal of all people. A child with out an education “would have been condemned to perpetual inferiority of condition and subjected to all the evils of want and poverty…” (Horace Mann) There is no hope for an American for success without an education. What is an American with no hope? Are they still considered an American at all? America is supposed to be the land of opportunity. America is the land that disregarded the British class system, and fought for a land that would allow to attempt to work for what they wanted. Without public education this was not the same America that was fought for. It is a mockery to use the same title. The United States may not assign the classes but it locks them in place by not offering a basic tool to improve future generation’s ways of life. These schools would bring a light of hope to every citizen in the country because not only would they be eliminating the permanent classes, but they would also be living in the real Untied States that were fought for.
Horace Mann was a very powerful speaker. He used powerful ideas that connected to the people on a deeper level. Horace Mann had truth behind his words. I believe that his speeches were so moving because he had heart behind everything that he said. He dared to go against the popular idea. He was facing what could seem to be an impossible task but handled gracefully. He doesn’t show anger but rather sadness that a public education system has been non excitant in the country. He shows hope for a brighter day and delivers an amazing speech.