Education Reform

One does not have to be very astute to see that there exists an Education crisis in America today. International tests indicate the US is far below its major economic competitors in vital economic spheres and in decline. What are the reasons behind this?

This decline has been steady over the last 40 years. Why? Perhaps it is the advent of PC, the rise of "self-esteem" over actual results, the "me first" mentality, the dumb it down further and further, the "Academics is not cool." I have a copy of an 8th grade dipolma from my grandmother in 1920s and it would be hard for the average high school graduate to qualifty if they had to take the same tests today. A whole generation has been lost. We are in danger of losing another unless we act and fast.

What can be done? Our current educational model was created in an agriculturally centered indusstrial revolution era. That is, why do we have summers off? To help with the farm chores, a worry that less than 5% of the population has today. Why have lockstep one-size fits all education system? The industrial age of the latter part of the 19th century needed huge amounts of adequately educated workers for the industrial plants. It worked well then but this is the technological era.

Once again, revolutionary ideas are needed for a revolutionary time.

My proposals:
1) Why should we have a dropout age at 16? In this age, what can a teenager or adult do without a high school degree? Very little. THen why should it be so. Raise it to 18. Allow exemptions for military duty, internships, apprentice training, and early college would be permitted.
2) Why no summers? Information retention decreases steadily over the summer and the first few weeks of the new year are usually wasted by reviewing the previous semester. I propose a set of 4 quarters, each of 13 weeks with 11 weeks of school, one semi-week of finals and one plus weeks of vacation. This would amount to 220 plus days of school per year compared to the 180 currently. When review days are excluded, this would be upwards of 40 percent increase in education time.
3) Why should one class accommodate all levels of students? Why should one wait 15 weeks of Algebra One before advancing to Algebra 2 if one masters the conepts in six,eight, or ten weeks? In the No Child Left Behind scenario, teachers often teach the same concept three, four or five times so that that last one percent will "get it". those bright students that get it the first time are left idling for hours; the rest of the pack that get it easily the first or second time or all by the third time are bored as well. In the era of mass customization and technology, all students should be encouraged to move at their own pace and motivated to exceed and challenged to go as fast as they can. Computer aided technology can assist in that process. A teacher would provide a set of lectures at the beginning of a session. Those that need additional time or attention can get it through evening tutorials. Those that get the concepts early can utilize computer tutorials to progress at their own speed. At any time, they can then move on to another course after passing the proficiency test for that section. Move the students as fast as they want and can.
4) Homework should be encouraged. Use class time for review and expansion of topics, not for homework.
5) Discipline needs to be zero tolerance. One student can disrupt the entire class. Why allow it. Any disruptive effects and it is out of class. A dress code should be in existence that should be adhered to.
6) Every state should have a K-16 program to allow flowless pursuit between high school and college.
7)

More later
Comments?