NATACHA CORTES- OUTLINE & DRAFT

Summary

Education in America

John D. Rockefeller, who founded the General Education Board, is quoted as saying. "I don’t want a nation of thinkers; I want a nation of workers''. This quote is not proven to have been said by Mr. Rockefeller yet the American educational system is proving that it is not equipped to provide a proper modern education for all its citizens. The American education system needs to be thoroughly analyzed in order to take steps towards producing students proficient in the math and sciences. The current state of education has served the United States seemingly well yet the world is changing and we must keep our competitive edge in the world by making sure we have the sharpest minds.
The current trends in the American education system are not in favor of a competitive American workforce. Recent information gathered by the National Center for Education Statistics shows math and reading proficiency under forty percent for fourth graders and under thirty percent for eighth graders. This is an unfortunate turn downwards in the quality of education after a period of steady stagnation. From 2006 to 2016 the reading and math proficiency of our students has been steady in the mid to low thirty percentile and is now on the decline. America became a beacon of hope and prosperity around the world because it was innovative and led by example. At the moment we are thirtieth in education around the world and it seems we are working backwards; the labor market is changing, blue collar jobs like industrial and manufacturing jobs are on the decline due to automation and new technologies.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, our workforce tied for last on tests of mathematics and problem solving among the workforces of all the industrial countries tested. In today’s age it is evident that technology and innovation will pave the future yet our students are not properly equipped. Science, math and engineering are the cornerstones of innovation and technology yet over fifty percent of the PHD students in our programs are from foreign countries over sixty percent in the engineering department. The American education system has to do more, to be something more to guide our students toward the hard sciences.
The biggest hindrance to a proper education reform is financial. Proponents of establishing a proper education would argue the cost is simply too great. It would cost millions of dollars. This is true, the education system needs more than a Band-Aid to provide what our students deserve. More teachers need to be hired and paid proper wages, books need to be updated along with curriculums and computers. Our schools need to be safe and equipped with everything students need to learn and thrive. Yet the financial cost does not trump the potential that comes from an educated intellectually competitive workforce,
America has a lot of work to do to improve the state of education, especially in the math and sciences. New technology has often shaped the way of the world, from world wars to social justice. Technology has played a significant role in revolutionizing the way people interact with each other locally and globally. Improving education in America is important for many reasons including being competitive globally. American exceptionalism comes down to more than just competition, it's also an idea. The idea that we lead, we lead in democratic values, we lead in opportunity and we lead the way to the future with our future students.

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