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August 19, 2009
E-mail a friendYOUNG VOICES
Better Than Before
In America today you do not hear very many positive things about the education system. Critics claim we have failed just about every group of students. Boys seem to be less interested in advancing their educations; girls are not given enough encouragement in fields such as technology and engineering. And in general, minority groups trail behind in classroom achievement.
One group that remains a focal point for all the harsh criticism concerning public education is elementary-age students. However, the tide seems to be turning. Recent reforms, such as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, have been part of a 25-year effort at the local, state, and federal levels to hold schools accountable for student performance, and these reforms are making a difference in test scores across the board. According to the Christian Science Monitor, elementary students in America, whether they are female or male, white or black, rich or poor, have shown improvement in math and reading based on the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress. Though the achievement gap between black and white students is 27points, it is at an all time low.
It has taken 25 years to see real improvement in the educational system in America. Though there is a lot more to be done to give each and every child an equal opportunity at quality education, we are moving in the right direction, despite what common knowledge dictates.