Hope for Public Education
Almost every child in the United States receives an education, some children go through private schools, and some children get home schooled, however most children attend public schools. Each school may seem the same, however many schools differ and there are many problems with the public schools system. O’Rourke and Stevenson both give very compelling opinions on the school systems and what they think the public education flaws are, and both provide their own solutions. O’Rourke’s opinion on public schools is very negative, and essentially his proposal for public schools is this, “Close all the public schools. Send the kids home. Fire the teachers. Sell the buildings. Raze the U.S Department of Education, leaving …show more content…
Stevenson says that “high-flying charter schools” are not fair because the parents take initiative to apply the students to the schools, and they have to sign contracts agreeing to study, and have high performance. If the students don’t comply with the contract then they have to withdraw from the school. Whereas public school students have to regularly attend, and do their homework. Stevenson does mention that we are spending more per student, however this is because of inflation, and also because of the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which added another expense. Many of the charter schools have fewer children with disabilities and fewer English language learners. Studies say that there is a “3-4 percent gap in special education students at charter vs. regular public schools. For example, North Star Academy Charter schools in Newark have 36 percent fewer students with severe (high cost) disabilities than the Newark public schools in general. While in New York City, 41 percent of public school students speak a language other than English at home, only 5 percent do so at Harlem Success Academy” (Stevenson paragraph 4). Public schools are where many students with disabilities can get an education because many of the private schools don’t accept students with disabilities, and or don’t have services for them. Stevensons mentions in order to get larger student success the parents have to get involved. “We must partner with parents. The secret to success in high-achieving charter schools and private schools is parental commitment to the shared goal of educating children. Amanda Ripley, in her excellent book, The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way, cites research demonstrating that if parents do two things, their children will most likely succeed academically: 1) Read to them from a young age. 2) Model reading
Almost every child in the United States receives an education, some children go through private schools, and some children get home schooled, however most children attend public schools. Each school may seem the same, however many schools differ and there are many problems with the public schools system. O’Rourke and Stevenson both give very compelling opinions on the school systems and what they think the public education flaws are, and both provide their own solutions. O’Rourke’s opinion on public schools is very negative, and essentially his proposal for public schools is this, “Close all the public schools. Send the kids home. Fire the teachers. Sell the buildings. Raze the U.S Department of Education, leaving …show more content…
Stevenson says that “high-flying charter schools” are not fair because the parents take initiative to apply the students to the schools, and they have to sign contracts agreeing to study, and have high performance. If the students don’t comply with the contract then they have to withdraw from the school. Whereas public school students have to regularly attend, and do their homework. Stevenson does mention that we are spending more per student, however this is because of inflation, and also because of the 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which added another expense. Many of the charter schools have fewer children with disabilities and fewer English language learners. Studies say that there is a “3-4 percent gap in special education students at charter vs. regular public schools. For example, North Star Academy Charter schools in Newark have 36 percent fewer students with severe (high cost) disabilities than the Newark public schools in general. While in New York City, 41 percent of public school students speak a language other than English at home, only 5 percent do so at Harlem Success Academy” (Stevenson paragraph 4). Public schools are where many students with disabilities can get an education because many of the private schools don’t accept students with disabilities, and or don’t have services for them. Stevensons mentions in order to get larger student success the parents have to get involved. “We must partner with parents. The secret to success in high-achieving charter schools and private schools is parental commitment to the shared goal of educating children. Amanda Ripley, in her excellent book, The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way, cites research demonstrating that if parents do two things, their children will most likely succeed academically: 1) Read to them from a young age. 2) Model reading