1. Current Issues

2. Vocabulary No Child Left Behind (NCLB)Curriculum AccountabilitySilent Epidemic Standardized TestMagnet School Charter SchoolCapitalism VouchersGlobalized Economy Head Start ProgramSpecialized Labor American Recovery and Reinvestment ActManufacturing Textiles U.S. Department of EducationSection 529 Accounts LiteracyEducation Savings Accounts Luxury TaxNational Debt Post Secondary EducationDeficit Pell Grant Program for International School Assessment

3. Education Priorities and Funding In 2009 $667 billion was spent on the 97,000 public schools in the U.S. The federal government contributed $58.5 billion to this amount A lot of money for very low quality education.

4. 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act $5 billion for Head Start programs $5 billion for reforms $77 billion to help struggling schools by improving teacher quality and student achievement $48 billion to help states make up for lost money due to recession-strapped budget cuts.

5. It provides money, but also increases the national debt. It opens the door for the U.S. Department of Education to take more power away from the states.

6. Other Education Proposals from President Obama $500 million to expand preschool programs for low income families $300 million to assist states in evaluating early education programs $162.5 million to expand literacy for preschool students $370.4 million for reading programs for grades K-12

7. Critics of Federal Funding Get rid of programs that aren’t working to save money States should cut spending in other areas Impose higher luxury taxes – alcohol, tobacco, gambling, & purchase of high dollar items.

8. Post Secondary Education 2010 the President has proposed $2 billion to help increase people in the U.S. with college degrees from 40% to 60% Increase vocational education too Increase Pell Grants Increase funds that help minority and disadvantaged students attend post secondary schools

9. Three Problems with the Post Secondary Proposals 1. Increases the national debt 2. States should be the ones responsible for bearing the costs of increasing access to higher education 3. Increasing federal funds will give colleges no incentive to control their runaway costs

10. Ways Families Can Plan for Post Secondary Education Education Savings Account Section 529 Accounts Kids can join the military to get their education paid for

11. Educating Students in a Global Community U.S. has 5% of the world’s population but the largest economy. U.S. has one of the lowest poverty rates at only 12% Globalization of the economy has increased the competition in education U.S. companies locating production plants in other countries where labor is cheaper and specialized labor can be developed. U.S. companies look for cheap but safe places to put production facilities

12. Drawbacks Graduates in the U.S. are now competing globally for jobs where they used to just compete “locally” as seen in Manufacturing textiles Auto production Science based research

13. “What should be done to prepare students for success in a globalizing world? Decrease the gap between U.S. and foreign students in math and science skills Increase the number of elementary and middle schools teaching foreign languages

14. How do policy makers plan to address this problem? Suggestions: Spend more days in school each year Create more magnet schools in science and math Require a proficiency in a 2 nd language to graduate from high school Expand the foreign exchange program that sends U.S. students to other countries Reduce the number of foreign students at U.S. universities so more U.S. students can attend the school

15. Public School Reform Drop-outs Almost 1/3 of students who enter the 9 th grade fail to complete high school in 4 years Drop-outs are less likely to vote Drop-outs are less likely to find good jobs Drop outs are more vulnerable to crime, substance abuse, and poverty

16. Some school districts are experimenting by Making an education and job earnings more relevant to the students Giving cash rewards for good grades Improving the curriculum Improving the support system for struggling students Providing alternative education for non-traditional students Reduction in suspensions/expulsions by instituting community service requirements instead

17. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Requires standardized testing Increasing school accountability Federal gov’t take over of schools that don’t make AYP – Adequate Yearly Progress

18. Critics of NCLB Teachers teach to the “test” State pays for the testing and implementation of federal programs even though budgets are already being cut. School vouchers to send kids to private schools take money away from the public schools, hindering their progress

19. Charter Schools Are not subject to federal regulations of public schools. They DO have to meet NCLB standards