Way to improve education both globally and domestically

Globally

"Global education does what higher education has

traditionally aimed to do: extend students’ awareness of the world they live in by opening

them to the heritage of human thought, action and creativity, by cultivating their capacity

to read, write, and think critically, and by promoting ethical, mathematical, scientific,

cultural and information literacy..." (http://view.fdu.edu/files/globedstratplan051107.pdf)

1. Continue to create oppurtunities through foreign-exchange programs and similar undertakings
2. Third-world countries work towards creating an environment suitable to build a place of highler learning such as local community colleges or even whole universities
3. Analysts determined that the nations and city-states at the top of the rankings had several things in common. For one, they had well-established standards for education with clear goals for all students. They also recruited teachers from the top 5 to 10 percent of university graduates each year, which is not the case for most countries (National Public Radio 2010).
4. Studies show that the brightest students are coming out of schools that likewise have recruited the best and brightest teachers.
5. Global Education Fund (GEF) has riased awareness for the need of an educated public, and has pumped reources and money into Rwanda, Mozambique, Mexico, and Southeast Asia.
6. Many countries, such as Korea, have parents that send their children to for-profit private schools that offer private tutoring sessions; this is in conjunction to the outside resources that the parents themselves provide.

Domestically

The United States spends as much as any country, if not more, on education and yet gets the least amount of a return on its investment. This calls into question the ways in which this money is being used, or misused rather. Simply throwing money at public education funds and huge subhsidies to states is not solving the problem; instead, a complete overhaul of the teaching system in this country is necessary.

The No Child Left Behind act attempts to conjure up ways for America's schools to report their level of success.  This will not improve America's school system as it focuses on regulations and ignores customer (in this case parents) satisfaction.  Without the incentives of a free market, schools will perform just well enough to keep from being reprimanded.

• Make contracts for teachers more enticing to graduate students who are weighing their career options.
• In turn, give teachers who have proved their competence and quality tenure instead of those who simply have "senioirty'; otherwise, simply get rid of the tenure system altogether and allow schools to hire the best and brightest educators in their respective fields.

The Importance of Educators

Teachers play a pivotal role in the education of America's children.  Therefore, it is an imperative that parents have some level of control over who educates their children.  A free market school system would allow a higher visibility for exceptional educators and lead to better compensation for those deserving.  This system would give educators a reason to perform to their maximum capabilities.  Today's meet-the-bare-minimum-or-get-a-slap-on-the-wrist policies can not produce this level of incentive.

One Size Fits All Testing

While accountability in education is important, it is important to address the question of who is accountable to whom.  Standardized tests provide accountability of states to the federal government.  This type of accountability is worthless.  Schools need to be accountable to parents to offer real solutions.

Early Education

The decision for or against early education should rest with the parents.  There are studies that say early education makes a difference and there are studies that say it does not.  It is generally accepted, however, that quality time with a parent is vital to a child's early development.  Why not look at ways to increase quality parent-child time instead of trying to scuttle children away to schools at such a young age.

Reduce Class Sizes

More important to education than class size is teacher qualification.  In fact, logic suggests that qualified teachers should teach more, not less students.  Teacher qualification should receive closer attention than reduction of class sizes.  A reduction in class sizes leads to children learning from educators who are not adequately competent in the subjects that they are teaching.

Vouchers

The current American school system is afraid of parental school choice, no matter how minimal that choice.  Many people argue that vouchers will only draw funds away from failing schools.  Of course!  If a school is failing, parents should not only be able to, but are obligated to look for a better solution for their child.  Parents are responsible for their children, not all American children.