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Well W-F, the basic understanding of math is called math literacy (sometimes also, “numeracy”), so it is a basic literacy skill. And science should be considered a cornerstone of our culture, which is why I think the religious whackos should not have their way in weakening the teaching of evolution. It is literally a an assault upon our culture, rather than a defense of it as they portray it. And your highlighting of understanding other nations is very important. Perhaps we need a 7th category, or perhaps #5 needs to be modified.
Jen: The method of taxation and money transfers already occurs as you depict it. If I remember correctly, about 20% of the education budget in a district comes from the feds, and in most states, a large part comes from the state government. I think there are a few reasons education is so expensive: 1) We as a nation have gotten poorer, though we don’t know it. 2) A large portion of the personnel budget, (something like 40% I believe) goes to health benefits and pensions. 3) We spend more on security. 4) We spend a lot of time teaching students things they do not need to fulfill what should be the main education purposes.
Your assessment test idea has one fatal flaw. The districts don’t just teach to the test; they teach to the entrance requirements of the colleges and universities. These tend to favor students who have taken the steroid courses – advanced placement calculus, for example. Most people entering college will never use their differential equations. Why are they learning what they won’t use? To get into a prestigious college, get a prestigious degree so they can get a good job. When I left high school in the ‘60’s, the sense of desperation that exists now was unimaginable.
So any solution has to begin at the college entrance requirements. Bush is not one of my favorites, but when he was governor, he backed a bill that guaranteed entrance in a Texas higher-education institution for every student in the top 10% of their high school class. This was a good thing, and perhaps needs to be copied in other states.
And please, don’t say, “What the hell do I know?” You certainly can’t do worse than the experts. One other thing: In 1955, when the school system was so great, less than 40% actually graduated high school. Obviously, if our schools graduated fewer people, they would spend less and produce better results.
Alcuin
Jen: The method of taxation and money transfers already occurs as you depict it. If I remember correctly, about 20% of the education budget in a district comes from the feds, and in most states, a large part comes from the state government. I think there are a few reasons education is so expensive: 1) We as a nation have gotten poorer, though we don’t know it. 2) A large portion of the personnel budget, (something like 40% I believe) goes to health benefits and pensions. 3) We spend more on security. 4) We spend a lot of time teaching students things they do not need to fulfill what should be the main education purposes.
Your assessment test idea has one fatal flaw. The districts don’t just teach to the test; they teach to the entrance requirements of the colleges and universities. These tend to favor students who have taken the steroid courses – advanced placement calculus, for example. Most people entering college will never use their differential equations. Why are they learning what they won’t use? To get into a prestigious college, get a prestigious degree so they can get a good job. When I left high school in the ‘60’s, the sense of desperation that exists now was unimaginable.
So any solution has to begin at the college entrance requirements. Bush is not one of my favorites, but when he was governor, he backed a bill that guaranteed entrance in a Texas higher-education institution for every student in the top 10% of their high school class. This was a good thing, and perhaps needs to be copied in other states.
And please, don’t say, “What the hell do I know?” You certainly can’t do worse than the experts. One other thing: In 1955, when the school system was so great, less than 40% actually graduated high school. Obviously, if our schools graduated fewer people, they would spend less and produce better results.
Alcuin
by Alcuin of York on May 18 2007