As the economy hobbles along 6 years after the global economic crisis, there are many areas of society that are still experiencing the sting of dwindling budgets.  Education is one of them, as the amount of government aid for public schools in America continues to be outpaced by other facets that are deemed more important.  Due to this, public schools are facing a crisis.  With the lack of funds, they generally have very few options.  An attractive option for many seems to be a corporate savior, who can provide the equity to sustain the schools.

In a situation fairly similar to the trend of privatization of prisons in the United States, the education system may be headed down this path.  Corporate partners in the public education system means that much of the governmental oversight and regulation can be removed, and a fair amount of capital can be infused into needy districts.  Proponents of this system claim that with the privatization, the way in which public schools operate can be streamlined and simplified, and therefore can become self-sufficient.  The profits that the corporate owners of the schools is said to be diverted right back into the system in the hopes of improving teaching quality and effectiveness.  This sounds like a no-brainer, however as with most things, these are not likely the sequence of events that would take place.

While it can be said that the current ways in which public education is operated in the United States need a major overhaul, it is also important to note that there is no real ulterior motive by those who oversee it.  Being that public schools get their funds from taxpayer money, there is no one looking for a profit at the other end.  Also, the government is able to enforce a fair amount of standards and regulations, which can help to ensure the quality of education is not compromised in hopes of financial gain.  Again, while the government may not have the best ways of regulating and gauging the quality of education, at least it is being done.  If public schools end up being privatized, the schools will become more and more resistant to calls for a way in which regulations can be imposed.  This could lead to a compromised standard of education across the country, and fabricated results.

Another major component of the privatization proposal is that some taxpayer money will be infused into the hands of the corporations, who can then use this money to run the schools under their supervision.  This can lead to an increase in fraudulent activities, and might also lead to an outcry of opponents who designate this a misuse of public funds.

http://www.ecs.org/html/issue.asp?issueID=92

In recent years, one of the major trends in education reform has been voucher programs.  This type of system, which is a huge departure from the past, has polarized experts and members of the general public.  To put it simply, voucher programs allow for students, usually those underprivileged, to attend private schools in their area without having to pay tuition fees.  The voucher is like a golden ticket, that grants access to their choice of private school, even those that are faith based.

In some states, voucher programs have taken off and are even looking to expand.  In others, there seems to be a large faction of critics who have blocked the passage of any legislature allowing this type of program to take place.  The supporters argue that it allows students to have access to a much better education than they could have otherwise, and that this is the ultimate goal of any government.  The students basically get unrestricted access to schools in their area, even if they are private, and can choose which they feel fits their needs best.

Supporters also argue that by increasing the number of school vouchers, private schools will increase competition among themselves, and ultimately this would lead to a steady, high level of education being offered.  The schools would want to provide the best education possible so that more students are attracted to their program, and thus bring their state-backed voucher to them.  Lastly, voucher programs allow parents and students more choice in dictating their education.  There is a wide array of private schools, and parents can weigh all of their options to decide which they feel fits their child’s needs.

On the other hand, there is significant criticism for voucher programs.  One of the fundamental criticisms is, what does this do to public schools?  Public schools were one of the shining examples of America’s ingenuity and democracy at the nation’s founding.  Providing education to all was an American idea, and this is one of the pillars that America was built upon.  However, voucher programs essentially disadvantage public schools, by giving students the opportunity to attend “prestigious” and “previously unattainable” private schools, public schools look like the shabby, fall-back option.

Additionally, tax funds must be used to pay for the vouchers.  Tax payers would be paying for these students to attend private schools, rather than funding improvements to public schools in their areas.  Some have argued that private businesses will fund vouchers and receive a substantial tax credit as a result, however in the end, it would be up to the tax payers to make up the deficit.  Lastly, there is an ethical argument.  Should America allow for the capitalist system to takeover schools?  This is something that will likely be argued for a long time, however it seems that certain states have already decided to implement the system, and are even considering expanding it.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/03/28/687710flxgrvoucherprogram_ap.html

http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2011/02/benefits_of_school_vouchers_ou.html

Put simply, public schools are funded by the government.  This means that whatever revenue accumulated through taxes and a few other means must be allocated to fund the building, maintenance, and salaries within schools in America.  This is a major problem, however, considering the government’s tendency to consistently cut funding towards certain areas, with little explanation needed.

If you really think about it, there are an overwhelming amount of public schools in the country.  This includes schools in rural, suburban, and urban locations.  In an interesting take on the fragile state of public education, Julia Meszaros of The Huffington Post argues that the perpetual defunding of public schools, specifically those in urban areas, is leading to the creation of a permanent underclass.  Meszaros supports this assertion by explaining that there seems to be a trend, or “pipeline” as she calls it, of students from severely underfunded schools to juvenile detention centers.  As this happens over and over, a class of people is in the making, a class that is exceptionally disadvantaged compared to their peers.

In Meszaros’ article, she also notes that there is a rise in the number of private Juvenile detention centers.  This means that these correctional facilities for troubled youth are not run by the government, but are rather run as private businesses.  She connects the defunding of public schools and the rise in private juvenile detention centers as being a dangerous combination, and one that could potentially wreak havoc on society in America as generation Y enters the workforce.

This is not the only problem associated with the continued funding cuts toward public schools, as this affects multiple areas of the public education system.  With the lack of money, schools are unable to increase the salaries of teachers, something that is a controversial subject already.  Many argue that teachers deserve much more money than they receive, because they provide a crucial service- educating young minds who will eventually run society.  However, these salaries have no way of increasing, leading to many teachers to leave struggling school districts in favor of schools in areas of higher socioeconomic status.  This further complicates the cycle, as the failing schools lose funding along with capable teachers, and ultimately makes students within these districts extremely disadvantaged.

Meszaros also looks towards the No Child Left Behind Act, a remnant of the Bush era, as being an almost catalyst for the deplorable conditions public education is in today.  NCLB was intended to close the education gap, however an overwhelming majority of experts now believe it did the complete opposite.  The NCLB was characterized by widespread standardized testing, which in turn determined the amount of funding schools would receive.  The problem, however, is that the individual states were allowed to set the goals that the schools must meet in order to receive increased funding.  This meant that the schools struggling most needed funds more, and therefore their state standards were much lower.  This meant that the education quality decreased, as the only goal was to receive more funding, not to educate the students better.  Ultimately, the NCLB actually widened the education gap, with some states, specifically those in the Northeast, setting more rigorous standards, while many others set extremely low standards due to the funding that was on the line.

In all, the lack of funding going towards public schools in America is a major problem, and one that does not show any sign of improvement as the country continues spiraling deeper and deeper into debt.  Ultimately, there will need to be a way schools can get the money they need, or the education quality will continue to deteriorate.

Article from Huffington Post

Today, much debate surrounds where we should take public schools next.  Knowing that the current system cannot provide students with the proper tools for success, many propose an increase in charter schools to solve all problems.  The fact is, they can’t.

Chicago Public School expulsion rate LOWER than Charter Schools

Charter schools are essentially schools that use public funds and act as private entities.  Not forced to follow the strict standards set by state and federal governments, Charter Schools are basically given freedom to construct the type of educational environment that a private school can, without having to seek funding from the students themselves.

Initially, Charter Schools were proposed in the poorest districts in the country, where state governments felt there was no amount of money or attention that they could give to a particular school, it was going to fail anyway.  Charter Schools were able to attract better teachers, be more selective with students, and create their own rules and curriculum.  While this sounds great on paper, it lead to an explosion of Charter Schools throughout the country that provide little data to prove they are actually helping the education problem in America.

Charter Schools do not have to enroll every student within their district.  Instead, many have selective procedures, such as entrance tests, lotteries, or interviews.  This leads to a student body that is not necessarily representative of the “failing” school district, but a chosen group with which more resources are devoted to.  Doesn’t sound much like “public school” to me.

Another negative impact of charter schools on the American education system is their funding.  Charter Schools, who are free to pick and choose their student body, as well as weed out many who they feel “won’t make it”, divert public funding from already struggling public schools.  It is no secret that socioeconomic status and public school performance go hand in hand.  Additionally, these schools in poorer areas tend to receive the least amount of funding from their governments, which does not have the school in its efforts to improve student performance.  These areas are where charter schools are most likely to show up-and divert a large portion of what little funding the public school had.

Over the last few years, public perception of charter schools has soured.  Once thought of as the shining solution to the education problem in America, many feel that charter schools ask too much and provide too little to be viable.  While the public has lost favor, more charter schools are being constructed throughout the country, costing billions of dollars, which is money going to a system doomed to fail.

In an interesting new take on public schooling issues in America, a journalist from the Washington Post reported in October 2013 that the biggest problem now facing the public school system in America is how many students qualify as poverty-stricken.

Article from the Washington Post

The article mainly focuses on the largest problem area in America, the South.  The southern United States has long been the major talking point when it comes to discussing the failure of public education.  However, the writer stresses that the traditional scapegoats, such as principals, teachers, etc, are not the ones to blame, and that poverty is actually the major contributing factor to the failure of these schools.

The article explains that a majority of students in grades K-12 in the southern states are now considered to be living in poverty.  The numbers have been steadily increasing for a number of decades, and a majority like this has not been seen since the early 1970s.  This could spell even further decline for the already struggling schools, and focusing efforts in other areas of public schools will do nothing to solve this problem.

The writer explains that everything starts with the poverty-stricken majority of students.  The rest is a domino effect, which goes on to further cement why the problem with so many people living in poverty in the Southern United States needs to be tackled.  She explains that because there are so many poverty stricken people living in one place, it is likely that the schools they attend are underfunded, and therefore pay very low salaries to teachers and administrators.  Naturally, this means that the best teachers will go elsewhere, and they will be stuck with those who under perform and are uninspiring to young students, who need inspiration more than any others.  On top of this, it is likely that the schools they attend are in disrepair due to a lack of funding, and they do not have access to as many learning and teaching tools that other, wealthier school systems do.  Again, this leads to students who are already struggling in other aspects of life to become disillusioned with the school system in America.

Another interesting statistic presented in the article discussed poverty and bullying.  According to a report released by a renowned educational organization, lower income places are much, much more likely to experience a lot of bullying and physical violence.  Again, this presents the school, with all of the other problems outlined above, as an unsafe and unwelcoming place.  Due to this, it can be seen that students are at a disadvantage to get what they deserve out of the public school system.

Another interesting aspect of the article is the discussion of current methods to counteract the continuous falling of our public schools.  In the past decade or so, it has been the idea of many educational experts and federal committees that the best way to improve schools and make them live up to standards set by other industrialized countries around the world is to use standardized tests each year to gauge the academic abilities of students.  However, this method has been universally panned by citizens, because in all it did nothing to solve the problem.  By giving students a test each year, nothing has been done to target the larger, more ominous problem associated with education. Poverty and income inequality. The federal government continues to push testing, and has now combined the test results with increased funding to districts.  Again, this will help the wealthier areas who do not experience the day to day problems that those living in poverty do, and will reap the benefits of this system.

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