The Age of Accountability

This chapter brought up many pressing issues, plans and ideas that were implemented to solve what was going on in the educational aspects of the American schooling system. America was striving to be the best and compete globally so that students were set up for success. I was drawn into what John Akers speaks of, which is how education is a major economic issue. If our students cannot compete today, how will our future be prepared for tomorrow? As we have learned and watched through different videos, one thing I have learned is that the more resources that are available for all students, including the skills needed to succeed, equals more power and knowledge for the students and young adults to achieve greater things in life. At one point, different businesses were gathering together to join with the education system to help improve all aspects. 

Reagan, in 1983, believed we needed to increase competition in school and strengthen parental choice and local control. A report commissioned by the U.S. The Department of Education stated that the quality of our countries schools were poor and we needed to see change immediately. The report titled “A Nation at Risk” essentially stated schools were slacking and students were not prepared to move up to further levels and contribute academically well in society. While there were many different ways and ideas to put this idea into action, some were really heated topics, such as the use of vouchers for students to attend schools. By 1997, in Milwaukee, the voucher program had many student success stories. Leaders like Chester Finn argued that poor people should have the same rights as rich people and access to the greater things one possess like good schooling, neighborhoods, etc. An argument that presented itself was as follows, "they move to where they want to buy a house, because of the schools, where they send their kids to a private school. It is for people who typically get trapped in those schools and can't afford to do anything about it." Sadly, more attention and resources were given to wealthier families and not the poor and this was and is not fair. Even today, we see this happening, especially in urban areas and neighborhoods, where funding is lacking and/or is not being allocated where it really should be to help all students, no matter which neighborhoods they live in, to succeed. 

However, through all of this, systems were set into place and the ultimate goal that was being led and helped us get to a certain place. Now, there are different issues we face from an educational and school perspective. Testing is one issue I believe is certainly becoming a problem and draining not only for the teachers, but students and their families. We place so much emotional stress on students for this reason. There are so many fundamentals that students could gain if we take a step away from testing and focus on other important tasks that build knowledge. Whatever we may be going through as a country, one thing is for sure, the general theme and goal is the passion and goal to want every student to succeed and do great things in their life.The system strives to ensure all students are receiving equal education and it is trying to improve daily. Although it is never an easy task, it can be done for the future of America.