educational standards - an analysis for america

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CAMPAIGN TO ELECT MIKE BALLANTINE PRESIDENT 2012

Educational Standards

in AmericaAn analysis on current standards andrecommendations for changes to the

American Educational Model

Michael D. Ballantine Green Party

12/5/2011

This document provides a brief summary of the history of educational standards inthe US as well as some practical recommendations for improving educationaloutcomes.


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Changing How We Teach Over the past 50 years, America has spent untold sums trying to findthe right formula to teach our youth. In essence, we are fitting square pegs into round holes. No one-size

fits all plan will meet the needs of a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society. Further, with differing levels of

development, no one set of standards can meet the needs of students who mature at varying rates.

Hence, our proposal to move to Individual Educational Plans (IEP) for each student.

Prior to current computer capabilities, the idea that we could offer an IEP for each student would have

been crazy. However, we are in the 21st century and computer processing speed along with the

availability of wi-fi make offering this type of program affordable and accessible to nearly every student in

America. The current system of moving students through grade levels with expected standards for each

grade level bears little resemblance to how children actually learn. Some children learn faster and some

learn more slowly, whereas other children have personal difficulties that inhibit performance. Despite this,

teachers are expected to teach 40 students based on rigid standards with the expected outcome that all

40 students will master the material at the same timeand perform well on tests to determine if the teacher is

re-hired. That is just crazy. If a few students have

trouble, it slows down the class and all the students

fall behind. The solution by teachers has been to dumb

down the lessons and teach to the test. Can you blame

them? Our students fall behind each year despite

the fact that we continue to throw huge money at this

problem. It's time to break the paradigm. It's time for

IEPs. We should require all students to master a subjectbefore moving on to the next level. Watch Sir Ken

Robinson, a California educator, explain how our current system is failing students:

Long detailed version

Short, fun, interesting version

We propose changing our school system to be more European. We know that is a "bad" idea because

Europeans are not like us but their students are finishing school and are more successful in life. In fact,

the German economy is humming along because the Germans have invested in their students. Our

proposal is for an IEP plan for every student from the age of 3 until about 14 when a student normally

completes the eighth grade. All students will follow the same basic educational track although some

students could be advanced and some slower. At the end of eighth grade, every student would take a

national merit exam to determine which program he or she would attend. In high school, there would be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCbdS4hSa0shttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4Uhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4Uhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCbdS4hSa0s


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three tracks. The first track is for students who do not perform well on the merit exam, the second for

moderate performance, and the third for high-achievement. Students who do not achieve well would be

offered a variety of vocational/trade programs with 50% class-time and 50% real-world apprenticeships.

Students would work in local companies at a sub-minimum wage and employers would receive tax credits

to support this program. Those students achieving moderate performance would be given opportunities

to study technical and professional programs which may or may not lead to college. Finally, the third-tier

students would attend college-preparatory programs with the intention of going on to university after

graduation.

Criticisms of this type of program are valid. Our intention of putting students into educational tracks is not

to deny students the opportunity to go to college but to insure that upon graduation, each student has

sufficient skills to earn a living. We believe that motivated students can overcome earlier difficulties and

eventually go on to college. We want to support those students as well but the current system of

emphasizing college over work makes no sense. Statistically, nearly 70% of high school graduates go onto college but only half will graduate. How many of

those students have to bear the expense of reeducating

themselves at night or accept employment below

what they might have achieved had they had the

opportunity to learn a trade or technical skill as a youth.

We consider the failure to adequately prepare

students for jobs upon graduation to be ethically

immoral.

We propose allocating $50 billion per year for 5 years in

block grants to local schools to help with transition to our "ABC" program. We do not believe that

Washington should tell local schools how to meet their goals. We believe local schools can best

determine how to educate their students for the 21st century. The current common-core standards are an

excellent start for determining acceptable educational outcomes. However, we believe that grade content

standards should be eliminated and replaced with content standards that determine mastery. Further, the

entire NCLB act should be annulled and neighborhood schools granted exceptions from compliance with

the many educational laws that current add costs instead of improve student performance.

Professionals like Sal Khan and his Khan Academy have proven that education can be delivered in a cost

effective fun way.

Sal Khan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM95HHI4gLkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM95HHI4gLk


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Achieving Mastery

Other nations are moving beyond America:

South Korea replaces textbooks with notebooks

South Korea uses robots to teach English

How we deliver education is changing. We have to think beyond the traditional four walls and think

instead of unlimited possibilities. As long as we are stuck with a 19th century model of education, the

American public school system can never regain its former preeminence. We need to begin thinking of

virtual reality education and teachers as Avatars if we are going to prepare our students for the

competition of the 21st century.

Virtual classrooms

If, you think we cannot afford this, then you do not understand the problem. America cannot afford to be

number 20 in the world when it comes to education. We need to be either number one or number two.

Ceding educational leadership to any other nation is the same as ceding economic strength. Education is

not a cost, it is an investment. It is an investment in our citizens, in our future, and in our society. We

need to stop pointing fingers and start pointing to solutions. We believe our proposals are steps in the

right direction and we ask your support as well as for your ideas on how we can educate our students for

the 21st century. Let the past 50 years become a lesson not repeated.The Effectiveness of Standards

The civil rights legislation of the 1960s ushered in a new period of educational exploration. Educators

began to implement ideas developed during the previous decade to enhance the learning experience and

prepare students for a more diverse multi-cultural society. This led to organizing and institutionalizing

hidden curriculum, also known as critical pedagogy. Educators made a number of changes in curriculum

at the same time as implementing desegregation policies (Orfield, 2010, p. 337). Unfortunately, the

curriculum used lacked the relevant cultural comparatives necessary to educate minorities. When coupled

with new hidden curriculum designed to increase the secular nature of students, conflict developed within

the psyche of inner-city schools leading to poor performance among inner-city youth. This conflict resulted

in demanding students choose between a parents worldview and a teachers (Li, 2005). In the majority of

cases, students preferred their parents worldview classifying teachers as out of touch or teaching

useless stuff. This situation continued to deteriorate throughout the 1980s and eventually a decision was

made to create a standard for education to attempt to improve student performance.
http://www.fluency.org/Binder_Haughton_Bateman.pdfhttp://www.reuters.com/video/2011/07/29/south-korea-classrooms-to-go-fully-digit?videoId=217632480http://www.joannejacobs.com/2010/12/robots-teach-english-in-south-korea/http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech010.shtmlhttp://www.fluency.org/Binder_Haughton_Bateman.pdfhttp://www.reuters.com/video/2011/07/29/south-korea-classrooms-to-go-fully-digit?videoId=217632480http://www.joannejacobs.com/2010/12/robots-teach-english-in-south-korea/http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech010.shtml


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During the Clinton Administration, legislation requiring schools to implement a standards regime for both

content and assessment was passed (NAE, 2009). The intent of this legislation while well-meaning,

resulted in an emphasis on standards at the expense of curriculum and teaching. In effect, standards

became rigid forcing curriculum to adapt and fit within the constructed context instead of being used as

measurement of end result. Teaching in a standards driven environment created unintended

consequences of school districts trying to game the

results or teach to the test. This unhealthy focus on

meeting standards changed the objective of

education from one of learning, to one of meeting

standards. There is no room for excellence in this

type of program.

In response to the failure of the Clinton

Administrations reform efforts, President Bush

proposed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

Many, including the author, consider the NCLB a

blatant attempt to abuse the standards process to

destroy the public teachers unions as well as

privatize public schools for the benefit of corporate

donors. Continuing the reform effort, President

Obama made several cosmetic modifications to the program to address the worst side effects of the

program but no one can show that the movement to standards has improved educational outcomes. One

might surmise that standards where never the problem. Some, like the author, believe that desegregation

was done without consideration of any potential negative side effects and was presumed to be inherently

the right thing to do. To gain better control over expected standards, a majority of states have banded

together to form what is better known as Common-core Standards to be applied throughout the United

States.

Objective of Standards

President Clintons legislation, the Educate America Act of 1994 attempted to prescribe standards of

content broadly in a variety of subjects without being too specific (NAE, 2009). The NCLB act focused on

implementing assessment standards to provide accountability to stakeholders and force public schools

into compliance or face closure. Whereas, the objective of the standards legislation was to improve

school performance, instead of the standard being seen as the minimum, it became the maximum (NAE,

2009). A second objective of the standards movement was to provide a measurement of school

improvement and reward teachers and schools that performed well. To encourage schools to continually

improve, each year the standard of measure increases. This had the unfortunate effect of creating a


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moving target for failing schools to hit with little regard for the make-up of a schools student-body. Given

the continued poor performance by American students when compared to OECD countries, American

students continue to rank near the bottom in math and science (Alliance, 2008). It is still too early to say

whether the latest modifications will have a positive impact but many, including this author, believe it is

too little, too late.

Effectiveness of Standards

One of the primary criticisms is the efforts by

many teachers to teach to the test (NAE,

2009). With so much at stake, including

potential loss of employment, school closure,

and loss of students to Charter schools, many

administrators and teachers feel they mustperform well. Instead of continuing to teach a

broad range of subjects to their students,

teachers limit classes to mandatory curriculum

and test preparation reducing the time normally

devoted to Humanities and Social Sciences

(NAE, 2009). This distortion of purpose has

reduced the ability of students to critically think

or apply knowledge learned in class to future

problems (McClaren & Farahmandpur, 2006).However, in some areas, there is progress in

basic skills. Assuming the test results are not

inflated or cheating does not take place, overall

test scores have begun to rise (NAE, 2009).

The question remains are test scores really

going up, or has the standard been lowered to

improve student opportunities to make the

grade?

Criticism of Standards Like in mostdecisions, the effectiveness of standards

depends on the type or quality of students.

Students performing at expectation value the influence standards have brought to the classroom. Aligning

the curriculum to expected-standards resulted in improvements in teaching methods and the introduction


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of rubrics throughout the system reducing subjectivity. This has resulted in a stronger program for a large

majority of students (NAE, 2009). For students with learning disabilities, slow-learners, non-English

speakers, and fast-learners, the rigidity of standards interferes with devising alternative curricula to meet

the needs of these students (McClaren & Farahmandpur, 2006). Obviously, school administrators need

the ability to either adapt standards to meet their specific requirements or schools must implement at least

three levels of standard. For many

slow-learners or special-needs-

students, modifications offer an

opportunity to provide a different

expected outcome without penalizing

the student (APA, 2011). For

advanced students, magnet schools

as well as gifted programs attempt to

fill this gap. However, many schoolsdesperate to bring slow-learners and

special-needs-students up to speed

sacrificing gifted programs to husband

scarce resources.

This author maintains that a National

Standard should be established for

three levels of performance. The chart above shows the model used in Switzerland, the author believes

we can learn a lot from our more successful neighbors. The first tier would be assigned to college and

university bound students and provide the guidelines necessary for successful entry into higher

education. The second tier would encompass students bound for professional or technical careers

necessitating a basic apprenticeship or two-year degree program. The third tier would be made up of

students attending traditional vocational training for trades such as brick laying, electricians, plumbers,

carpenters, and auto mechanics. These students would engage in formal apprenticeship programs that

meet the national standard to develop mastery in a trade as well as the expected related academic

requirements. To ascertain a students readiness for these programs, tests would be given at the end of

5th and 8th grade. To graduate, students would be required to pass a national high school examination

demonstrating competency in their completed course work.

To ascertain the best way to meet standards, local schools would adapt state curriculum for their own

circumstances. If necessary, school days could be lengthened as well as school years. Students would be

encouraged to participate in online as well as platform education providing the best mix of learning along

with differentiated instruction. Standards should be there much like guide-rails on a highway, keeping

teachers and schools from straying too far without locking them into specific speeds or outcomes.


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Standards outside the US

Before committing to one or another level of standard, American educators must keep in mind standards

found in other countries. Americas inability to maintain a high quality education over the past 40 years

has led to a reduction in economic performance and ceiling on industries ability to respond to competitive

threats. Employees in shuttered industries lack the necessary skills immediate move to alternative

employment opportunities. Any standard adopted by the United States must consider the international

implications. One common refrain many people suggest is that America should adopt the Finnish or

Singapore models. Unfortunately, these are very small countries with the ability to tailor their programs to

specific needs or leverage the monoculture nature of their societies. One standard that bears

consideration is the German and Swiss standard employing what is referred to as the ABC track system.

In secondary school students are directed into one of three tracks, academic, professional, and vocational

(Just Landed, n.d.).


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Recommendations

Absent from the discussion are methods to motivate and involve parents in student outcomes. Whereas,

teachers and administrators lament the seeming lack of involvement by parents, the standards movement

focusing squarely on the teacher who happens to have limited influence on a childs motivation (NAE,2009). To motivate children, the author

recommends that students be required to master

basic skills based on a standard before advancing

to the next level. Instead of following a class

system, students should follow an independent

educational plan. This plan ends the production

model of the modern public school developed

during the 1950s and replaces it with a flexible

model able to adapt to a students changingcircumstances and abilities (Robinson, 2010). A

second recommendation is to base acceptance on

entering any of the three alternatives for high

school on merit. Students decide which track to

follow based on their performance on the 5th and

8th exam. Parents and students understanding the

high stakes nature of the test will be encouraged to study more relieving teachers of much of the burden

for increasing student performance. To avoid the issue of racism, there would be alternative track for

promising minority students to supplement performance permitting schools to offset the historicalimbalance of minorities in college preparatory programs. This alternative track would be open to students

whose communities faced historical discrimination as well as talented non-native English speakers. The

final motivator to get students to remain in school and do well would be a bonus of $2,000 for graduation

and the possibility of a second bonus of $1,000 for students meeting a pre-defined score on the national

high school exam.

Wrap-Up

The movement towards more standards based education during the Clinton Administration has failed to

achieve its primary goal, improving the quality of education in America (NAE, 2009). Results have been

mixed and one must conclude that standards alone will not achieve the desired outcomes. President

Obamas recent changes are as stated previously to new to evaluate their influence. Stakeholders are

impatient and expect tangible results in a short time. With the implementation of Common-core

Standards between states, a national movement to impose a national standard has developed (NAE,


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2009). The author believes this movement will have the opposite effect and reduce creativity and learning

in the classroom.

In the coming election of 2012, a number of issues will be presented. The author expects the general

publics attitude to support wholesale reform of what appears to be a broken system. During the

campaign, the author will be promoting the idea of the A, B, and C system, apprenticeship programs, and

bonuses for graduating to

improve the performance of

students. The adoption of a

National Standard with three

assessments based on

university entrance

requirements as well as

employers in the marketplace

will provide a general standard

for teachers and administrators

to prepare appropriate

pedagogy.

Valid Concerns

A valid criticism of the authors recommendations is that the ABC system results in pigeon-holing (Just

Landed, n.d.). Students are directed to one or another track early on in education limiting opportunities.The hope is that through well-managed curriculum, this particular problem could be avoided. A second

criticism will be the appearance of unequal outcomes because some students go to college and others do

not have the opportunity (McClaren & Farahmandpur, 2006). That situation exists today with many

students unable to go to college because they did not complete a proper educational program. Students

continue to have the opportunity to attend college through evening and weekend programs much like

many students do today. To reduce the negative impact, a one-year preparatory program could be offered

to high-performing vocational and professional students to offer college as an additional alternative.

References

Alliance. (2008, March). How does the United States stack up? International comparisons of academic

achievement. Retrieved from: http://www.all4ed.org/files/IntlComp_FactSheet.pdf

APA. (2011). Appropriate Use of High-Stakes Testing in Our Nation's Schools. Retrieved from:


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http://www.apa.org/pubs/info/brochures/testing.aspx

Just Landed. (2010). The German school system. Retrieved from: http://www.justlanded.com/english/

Germany/Germany-Guide/Education/The-German-school-system

Li, G. (2005). Culturally Contested Pedagogy. Retrieved from: http://www.sunypress.edu/p-4188-

culturally-contested-pedagogy.aspx

McClaren, P. & Farahmandpur, R. (2006). The pedagogy of oppression: A brief look at No Child Left

Behind. Retrieved from: http://monthlyreview.org/2006/07/01/the-pedagogy-of-oppression-a-brief-

look-at-no-child-left-behind

NAE. (2009). Standards Assessments and Accountability. Retrieved from:

http://www.naeducation.org/Standards_Assessments_Accountability_White_Paper.pdf

Orefield, G. (2010). Lessons Forgotten. Retrieved from: http://www.pineforge.com/upm-data/40352_8.pdf

Robinson, K. (2010, February). Sir Ken Robinson: Changing paradigms. [video]. Retrieved from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCbdS4hSa0s

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