Once upon a time, the education system in the United States was without a doubt the best in the world. America was the leader in world innovations and was consistently breaking ground in the science world.
But over time, the rest of the world began to catch up and overtake America in certain aspects.
Now the United States no longer boasts the highest graduation rates nor is it the leader in innovation as it once was.
Education is the foundation of success. A solid education leads to intelligence in adulthood. When the education rates of an entire nation fall, so does the prosperity of the state.
This is why President Obama is looking to change some of the policies in the Education Department that have not been working out.
During his visit to a middle school in Virginia on Monday, Obama made it clear that he is telling Congress that it is time to fix the problems created by “No Child Left Behind.”
Obama said that in the modern age, “It’s not enough to leave no child behind. We need to help every child get ahead.”
The President of the United States then said that he wants Congress to put together a bill that he “can sign into law before the next school year begins.”
Unlike President Bush who wanted to completely remove the Education Department, Obama is adamant that no matter what is going on with the rest of the United States budget, education should never be cut back on.
Obama said that cutting education would hurt the future of the nation. “A budget that sacrifices our children’s education will be a budget that sacrifices our country’s future.”
The version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act that Bush passed in 2002 holds schools to too high of standards that in the end leave the schools with less funding.
Essentially, the current version of the law, known as “No Child Left Behind,” holds all American children to the same standards and does not take into account other aspects of the situations each school has to deal with. It also does not allow for any variation on which portion of the curriculum is emphasized. This is a big reason why many art and performing arts programs are being cut.
Obama has already started the “Race To The Top” program, which has proven to be successful. Now it is Congress’ turn to revamp the American education system for the better.
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