If you were to change something about the education system in the U.S, what would you change? How would you critique the quality of education? Education historian Diane Ravitch answers these questions in her excerpt that was published in 2014, “The Essentials of a Good Education.” In her text Ravitch argues that the education system is flawed and that the vision of a good education is unfair and unequal. Ravitch supports her claim by providing examples of the negative effects of the educational system and using historical context. The author’s purpose is to wake up the policymakers of the educational system in order to raise the standard of the quality of education each child receives regardless of income. Ravitch writes to an audience that are invested in the construction of the educational system and the parents along with other interested readers. Ravitch establishes a formal and professional tone for her audience. In this essay I will be focusing on a particular element Ravitch …show more content…
Her excerpt was published in 2014. During the 2000s, up until today, there has been many debates and issues regarding the education system. Years before her excerpt was released, an act called No Child Left Behind No Child Left Behind was passed in 2001. This act provided poor children educational assistance and ensured that every child would have an access to education. However, schools would be held accountable for students who are not achieving the expected level of academic success. This act emphasized standardized testing a great deal and placed a lot of pressure on schools to get their students passed the proficient level. No Child Left Behind isn’t the only historical context event that affects Ravitch’s text. In the early years after the establishment of No Child Left Behind, many schools had trouble paying for materials. This is only one of the many examples that historical context is found in Ravitch's
No Child Left Behind was passed by congress and was signed by President George Bush. The federal role was holding schools accountable for the students academic success due to No Child Left Behind law. Standard testing were given to ensuring that states and schools were performing and were achieving at a certain level. If states did not comply with the new requirements of No Child Left Behind then they were at risk of losing federal funding. The No Child Left Behind was ultimately created to change the fact that American education system was considered internationally competitive.
Miss Ravitch begin the chapter 3 by describing how President George H. W. Bush met in January, 1989 to set goals for 2000. The goals that were set was that American students would be first in the world, in respect to subjects such as Maths and Science, at least 80 to 90 percent of students would graduate from high school, all children would have control over subjects that are challenging in nature, all adults would be literate, and every school would be free of alcohol, drugs and violence. In 2000, none of the goals were attained. From the reading I notice that a strong point was made that the greatest obstacle to systemic reform was the number of stakeholders such as textbook publishers and test publishers. The chapter also spoke about literacy, touching on the subjects of how students are taught to read as well as the differences between the strategies used to teach.
All writers have their own unique style and use many different devices to grab and keep the reader's attention. Writers also use their writing styles and topics to target their intended audience. Some writers such as Leonard Pitts Jr. decide to create editorial pieces based on controversial topics on the uprise. Pitts wrote Don’t Lower The Bar On Education Standards to show education should not be based on race, ethnicity or disability and all students should learn the same criteria. Another article Pitts wrote is Torture Might Work
Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” (Education). Education is a crucial making an intelligent and prosperous world. Every person is entitled to an equal education, deserving to be taught and have the ability to learn at the same beneficial level as any other person. However, the disparity between what some have for a school and what others have for schools that far surpass the others is unacceptable. Children in the United States are not getting the education they deserve to receive.
All Americans want their future generations to be well educated—at least, all Americans should. When it comes to the topic of education, critics attack it by claiming that there are issues with how our American students are being taught. Some believe that education is too focused in an argumentative culture and that environment narrows our perspective, while some argue that the issue is in the commercialization of our educational system. Collectively, educational value is destroyed. Authors Benjamin Barber, Deborah Tannen, and Gregory Mantsios all agree that our educational system is flawed.
The No Child Left Behind Act required more responsibility from the students of the school and more responsibility from the teachers of the school. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was then reauthorized again in 2015 by the President Barack Obama. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was then named the Every Student Succeeds Act. The Every Student Succeeds Act was a United States law that was passed in December of 2015. This Act was made to govern the United States K–12 public education
The Goals 2000: Educate America Act was a vital step to reform American education. The overall intent was to aid the nation move toward a system that was based on high standards that all students could meet —a system that will provide both equity and excellence for all of the pupils in this country. The police targeted state-grade support for reform in curriculum and assessment standards. By emphasizing standards-based reform and focused on content and performance standards, along with accountability for improvement, assessment, student performance, accountability, teacher preparation, community and parental involvement, and coordinated changes, to make a few (H. R. 10804 Goals, n.d.). The other object of this policy was to establish a
Esea. " No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. " Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. N.p., 01 Jan. 2011. Web. 27 Mar. 2017.
In Carl Singleton’s article, “What Our Education System Needs is More F’s,” he argues that students aren’t receiving the failing grades they deserve. School systems are to blame for the lack of quality in America’s education. No other recommendation for improvement will succeed. The only way to fix the American education system is to fail more students. According to Singleton, the real root of the issue is with the parents.
Against School by John Gatto is an essay that attempts to persuade the reader that public education fails to educate its students. The main way Gatto tries to persuade his audience is by presenting anecdotal evidence and by showing the historical narrative to the education system of the Untied States. Gatto attempts also attempts to reach out to his audience by referring to commonalities in the public education system that have been experienced by many people. Overall the essay is persuasive but lacks any practical authority. The first thing the author does is provide background, background on himself and the situation with education in the United States; and, this is what the author primarily does.
In the year 2013, President Barack Obama explained in his State of The Union Address that he would like to take the initiative to give every child the chance to have early on education. Despite many people agreeing that something should be done to help boost the education system in America, there were also argument that came up with this idea being presented. Some of these people argued that by going through with this idea, money would be taken away from taxpayers as well as the government. The supporters of this project state that by going through with this idea, this project could have outstanding effects on the children in their near future. The main driving factors that make these two sides so opposite is the targeted people that will be affected.
Diane Ravitch, in her book, Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s Public Schools (2013), takes on the privatization movement that has been limiting public school funding and straining the education of students across the nation. She highlights different issues and solutions with each chapter, most of which are issues that we all have faced throughout our lifetimes whether we knew it or not. In chapter twenty-one of her book, “Solutions: Start Here,” she addresses the fact that if poverty and educational equality are issues worth taking on, it must be taken seriously and backed by two intentions: changing society as a whole and improving schools and the educational system at the same time.
In “Best in Class”, Margaret Talbot reveals the stressful lives of students in high school. The majority can relate to her essay since most have endured this unforgiving time in life. The main point Talbot debates is the competition for valedictorian. The author shows that being valedictorian is a respectable honor; however, in recent years it has been corrupted and should be modified by implementing passionate pathos and understanding persona. Talbot is able to use great pathos to advance her message regarding valedictorian.
Schools servicing low income students are being shortchanged districts disproportionately distribute funds. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Education, “The analysis of new data on 2008-09 school level expenditures show that many high-poverty schools receive less than their fair share of state and local funding, leaving students in high-poverty schools with fewer resources than schools attended by their wealthier peers.” Providing more resources and a better education for students in wealthier areas not only increases the achievement gap, but it increases the social status gap in America. While the nation acknowledges that inequality is an issue, proper action is not being taken. Until this issue is seriously addressed and action is taken, and poorer schools are provided the necessary tools to succeed, the public school system in America will not have the opportunity to produced skilled
Education Reforms Education reform is legislation to improve the quality of education in the United States. Once, grades were the most important achievement for students. However, politicians and the public were concerned that our standardized test scores were not as good as those of other countries. Therefore, state and national governments started making laws to make school more challenging and to test kids more. One of those laws was “No Child Left Behind”.