Public education
Public education in the United States refers to a system of free schooling accessible to all children within a community, primarily funded by taxpayer dollars. This educational framework is governed by locally elected school boards, which make decisions on academic standards, staffing, and operational costs, while also considering input from parents and community members. The history of public education in the U.S. dates back to colonial times and has evolved to include laws that aim to provide equitable education opportunities for all children, regardless of race, religion, or socioeconomic status. Landmark cases, such as Brown v. Board of Education, played crucial roles in abolishing segregation in schools and promoting equal rights in education.
Public schools are required to accommodate diverse student needs, including those with disabilities or language barriers, and provide a variety of support services. Reforms like the No Child Left Behind Act and the introduction of Common Core State Standards have aimed to hold schools accountable for student performance and ensure consistent educational benchmarks across states. Parents dissatisfied with public education options may consider private schooling or homeschooling, but education is mandated by law for all children in the U.S. This system reflects ongoing efforts to balance educational quality, accountability, and inclusivity in a diverse society.
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Public education
In the United States, public education is instruction open to all children in a particular community. It is a free system funded by taxpayers that is responsible for educating every child in a certain area, according to state and national guidelines and with input from students, parents, community leaders, and more.
Public schools are part of a system of institutions overseen and directed by locally elected officials who sit on a school board. With input from the public, these school board members make decisions about academic standards, the hiring and firing of teachers and administrators, operating costs, and more. Elected state and congressional representatives also help make school decisions. Parents, community members, businesses, and organizations may obtain information about their schools and get involved in school-related activities. They may form special advisory councils to ensure the values of the students and communities are being taught.
Public schools must follow district, state, and national standards that affect students' academic performance. This includes the instruction of certain academic subjects by qualified teachers in an environment deemed safe and conducive to learning. Public schools are held accountable for students' performance. If students' performance falls below certain standards, schools must provide resources to raise performance or risk being penalized.
Overview
Public education has a long history in the United States and dates back to colonial times, when communities would band together and pay a person to teach children. This evolved into a school system, governed by elected officials and paid for by property taxes. As time passed, the local, state, and national governments enacted certain guidelines and laws that public schools must follow to ensure education is uniform and fair.
Public schools are required to provide services to meet every student's needs academically, socially, and individually. They must follow certain guidelines to ensure all children receive a fair and equal education. These guidelines are enforceable by law and include rights for educators, students, and parents that also must be followed. By law, public schools must accept all children regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, prior education, income, and more. They must also accept and provide additional services to students with special needs or disabilities or who do not speak or understand English.
Reform
Prior to the mid-twentieth century in the United States, not all students received an equal education nor did laws exist to ensure this. African American students and other minorities received inadequate education and were often sequestered from white students. In 1954 a case known as Brown v. Board of Education helped to eventually abolish segregated schools, paving the way for equal education for all students, regardless of skin color.
In the years that followed the landmark decision in the Brown v. Board of Education case, the public began to focus on securing equal education rights for other students such as those with disabilities and those who could not speak English.
In addition to fulfilling educational needs and upholding students' rights, public schools also are required to provide support services to address the well-being of students. These include tutoring services, health screenings, after-school programs, and free transportation to and from school each day.
In 2001 U.S. president George W. Bush introduced the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act to overhaul education in the United States. Signed into law in January of 2002, the act began to hold schools accountable for students' achievements. The act requires each state to conduct yearly testing in reading and math for grades three to eight. In addition, the states must test reading and math once in grades ten to twelve and science once in grades three to five, six to eight, and ten to twelve. The test results must be reported by subgroups such as low-income students, students with disabilities, English language learners, and racial and ethnic groups.
Schools are required to meet or exceed standards set forth by each state. Schools that do not meet these standards face penalties and risk losing federal funding. If this happens, students will be given transfer options and schools could face restructuring or federal governance.
The NCLB act also holds teachers to high standards and requires them to be "qualified." A qualified teacher is one who has attained at least a four-year college degree and passed licensing and certification requirements by the state.
In 2009 public education was reformed once again with the introduction of the national Common Core State Standards (CCSS). These math and English language arts/literacy (ELA) standards are designed to ensure that students learn needed skills to prepare them for life after high school, whether they enter college or enter the work force. The CCSS outline what all students should know by the end of each grade; this knowledge should be consistent across every state that uses the standards.
Many states rushed to adopt the new standards. As educators began to fully learn the new standards, they were frustrated and unhappy with the requirements. Some states protested, and others withdrew from the program. Critics felt that the CCSS were too controlling and put too much emphasis on teaching students materials to help them succeed in standardized tests. On the other hand, supporters appreciated the guidance of what should be taught and saw the benefits of teaching the same standards across the states.
Parents who are unhappy with the requirements and guidelines of public education have several options. They can pay to send their children to private schools or educate their children at home, for example. However, the U.S. government requires all children to receive an education.
Bibliography
"About the Standards." Common Core State Standards Initiative. Common Core State Standards Initiative. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. <http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards>
"Education in the United States: A Brief Overview." U.S. Department of Education. U.S. Department of Education. September 2005. PDF file. Available online at <http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/edus/index.html>
Hawkins, Pauline. "A Brief History on NCLB and Common Core (Part 1)." Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. 30 Jun. 2014. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pauline-hawkins/nclb-and-common-core‗b‗5236016.html>
Keegan, Lisa Graham. "What is Public Education?" City Journal. Manhattan Institute. Autumn 2000. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. <http://www.city-journal.org/html/10‗4‗what‗is‗public‗edu.html>
"The New Rules: An Overview of the Testing and Accountability Provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act." Frontline. PBS. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/schools/nochild/nclb.html>
"No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) Executive Summary." American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. <http://www.asha.org/Advocacy/federal/nclb/exec-summary>
Resnick, Michael A. "An American Imperative: Public Education." Center for Public Education. National School Boards Association. 27 Apr. 2006. Web. 10 Nov. 2014. <http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Public-education/An-American-imperative-Public-education->