I offer the following set of reforms to put the United States back on the path of quality education.
1) Public school teachers are more likely than others of their income to send their children to private school. There should be a commitment to public education by these professionals to send their own children to public, not private, school.
2) Teachers can decide how many students will be in their classes. Salary will be commensurate with the number of students they choose to teach.
3) In fourth grade, American students outperform most other countries in reading, math and science. Fourth-graders score in the 92nd percentile in science, the 58th percentile in math and the 70th percentile in reading, where they beat 26 of 35 countries, including Germany, France and Italy. But by the eighth grade, American students are only midrange in international comparisons. By the 12th grade Americans fall from the 92nd percentile in science to the 29th percentile. While American fourth-graders are bested only by South Korea and Japan in science, by 12th grade, the only countries the American students can beat are Lithuania, Cyprus and South Africa. Therefore salary, bonuses and merit pay will be based on student improvement on standardized tests. Bonuses and perks will be assigned to schools and/or individuals based on awards, scholarships, contests won by their students.
4) Civilianization of schools. Administrative positions will not be related to teaching positions, based on the principle that these do not require teaching credentials, but rather computer science, business experience, etc. Salaries will be substantially lower. While 80 percent of the employees of private schools are teachers, only half the employees of public schools are. The rest are "coordinating," "facilitating" or "empowering" or supervising. All teaching positions will be classroom positions. Teachers will not be relieved of teaching assignments for any other work. Exams will be graded outside of the school. Sports will not be considered a teaching or academic subject.
5) Any functions that are not education-related should be out-sourced based on competitive bidding, with contracts for a set time period. These shall include food-service, maintenance as well as transportation and after-school functions.
6) Bring back Vocational High Schools.
7) Discipline in schools will be the same as that of society in general. Felonies will be considered felonies. Violence will be addressed by police, not by deans, or in house. Facilities will be set up to house disruptive individuals.
Obama calls for merit pay for teachers, longer school days.
Obama calls for merit pay for teachers, longer school days | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press
1) Public school teachers are more likely than others of their income to send their children to private school. There should be a commitment to public education by these professionals to send their own children to public, not private, school.
2) Teachers can decide how many students will be in their classes. Salary will be commensurate with the number of students they choose to teach.
3) In fourth grade, American students outperform most other countries in reading, math and science. Fourth-graders score in the 92nd percentile in science, the 58th percentile in math and the 70th percentile in reading, where they beat 26 of 35 countries, including Germany, France and Italy. But by the eighth grade, American students are only midrange in international comparisons. By the 12th grade Americans fall from the 92nd percentile in science to the 29th percentile. While American fourth-graders are bested only by South Korea and Japan in science, by 12th grade, the only countries the American students can beat are Lithuania, Cyprus and South Africa. Therefore salary, bonuses and merit pay will be based on student improvement on standardized tests. Bonuses and perks will be assigned to schools and/or individuals based on awards, scholarships, contests won by their students.
4) Civilianization of schools. Administrative positions will not be related to teaching positions, based on the principle that these do not require teaching credentials, but rather computer science, business experience, etc. Salaries will be substantially lower. While 80 percent of the employees of private schools are teachers, only half the employees of public schools are. The rest are "coordinating," "facilitating" or "empowering" or supervising. All teaching positions will be classroom positions. Teachers will not be relieved of teaching assignments for any other work. Exams will be graded outside of the school. Sports will not be considered a teaching or academic subject.
5) Any functions that are not education-related should be out-sourced based on competitive bidding, with contracts for a set time period. These shall include food-service, maintenance as well as transportation and after-school functions.
6) Bring back Vocational High Schools.
7) Discipline in schools will be the same as that of society in general. Felonies will be considered felonies. Violence will be addressed by police, not by deans, or in house. Facilities will be set up to house disruptive individuals.
Obama calls for merit pay for teachers, longer school days.
Obama calls for merit pay for teachers, longer school days | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press
