Education In America After No Child Left Behind: Where Do We Go

By Jim Leatherwood

Public schools play a vital role in shaping this nation's
future. As I write this article, we are about to elect a new
President. It is probable that a change in administration will
result in a new policy effecting education. The direction and
quality of this policy will have a lasting effect on our public
schools and on our nation as a whole. So where do we go from
here?

At this moment, sitting in a classroom somewhere in America is
a future Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, and Martha
Stewart. Will these students have the necessary tools to rise to
the top of their profession or will we become dependent on other
countries to provide leadership in this global economy?
Education may be the determining factor.

"The economy of the future will be dominated by industries in
microelectronics, telecommunications, robotics and biotechnology
– not to mention new fields that haven’t even been predicted." -
NEA TODAY, March 2008

The essential focus in education must be to prepare American
students for the challenge of the twenty-first century
workplace. It is abundantly clear that our drop-out rate is too
high and student performance levels are too low. Identifying
these problems may be the first step toward a solution but
current solutions simply don't work. Under NCLB, academic
testing has become the main focus for education reform. An
emphasis on test results has forced educators to direct their
energy and resources directly toward teaching to these tests.
The irony is that some career-related courses and arts programs
that clearly motivate students to stay in school and perform
have been weakened, or even eliminated, in the process. The
pressure that this type of reform has placed on educators can
negate innovation and creativity in the classroom. Current
policy hinders the teacher's ability to inspire students.

Future planning for education must include a focus on changing
technology and introduce the student to the necessity of
lifelong learning. Programs like Tech-Prep, School-to-Work and
Career Academies have successfully introduced these ideas to
some high school students but have not gone far enough. No plan
is complete without a delivery system that motivates and
inspires students to learn. Such a plan must be implemented long
before high school and have the potential to impact every
student. When students are motivated to learn, test scores will
rise. So where do we go from here?

A successful plan for education will include structured
partnerships. As described in the book Facing the Future
Together, educators should never plan or implement a program in
isolation. Through structured partnerships with those who are
stakeholders in education (business, industry and other agencies
in the community) every program becomes stronger and every
student benefits. Business and industry have an enormous stake
in student achievement. Where will future customers, clients and
skilled employees come from if not from the school system?
Partnerships bring us closer as a community to address our
common concerns and everyone benefits. Since we all have a stake
in the student who exits our school system, the number of
potential partners is almost limitless.

A successful school-business partnership is well structured,
sustainable and clearly designed to show students the connection
between education and the world beyond the school's walls. This
approach brings relevance to learning and helps to keep students
motivated and in school. As previously stated, students will
perform better in class and score higher on tests if they
understand the relevance of subject matter they are expected to
learn.

Taking that first step toward building a successful partnership
can be a challenge but the result is that everyone wins. As a
new administration takes office in Washington D.C. and a new
education policy is formulated we have an opportunity to gain
some of the ground we have lost in recent years. Facing the
future of education together as partners gives us a strong
foundation to build upon.

About the Author: Jim Leatherwood is the author of Facing the
Future Together: Forming Successful School-Business
Partnerships. Website: http://www.successfulschoolbusiness.com;
E-mail: thebrookepress@aol.com.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=260337&ca=Education