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Obama's Plan for Education: Will it Work?
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Jill Hare, Editor | TheApple.com
Now that the Presidential election is over and our country will be under the direction of a new leader, are you wondering how it will effect your job as a teacher or the way children are educated? There are many issues to consider, as education is the foundation for the knowledge that forms how our economy runs.
According to Barack Obama.com, No Child Left Behind will be reformed, not done away with entirely. The President elect does not think teachers should spend the whole year preparing students to “fill in bubbles on standardized tests.” Obama thinks that the assessments used to measure student progress should be improved, and accountability improved. This debate has been going on for over five years since NCLB started, so this could prove to be tough for this administration as well. At this time, there is not a specific plan outlined on how NCLB will change.
Obama and Biden support Charter Schools and will support creating more charter schools. However, the charter schools that are low performing they will recommend be closed. Math and science education has become a priority for the U.S., and Obama and Biden want to give it priority as well. They would like to recruit math and science degree graduates and professionals in these fields to teach. This effort has long been an important task, but without higher wages for teachers, will the effort to get more people in these fields to switch to teaching work?
That leads me to the next area that directly affects teachers: recruitment and training. Obama and Biden say they will create “Teacher Service Scholarships” that will cover “four years of undergraduate or two years of graduate teacher education, including high-quality alternative programs for mid-career recruits in exchange for teaching for at least four years in a high-need field or location.” So once the teachers have been recruited, why will they be more likely to stay under this administration? Obama would like to support more mentoring programs and common planning time. Now to the hot button issue for teachers, will there be more pay or rewards for teachers? Obama says yes. They “will promote new and innovative ways to increase teacher pay that are developed with teachers, not imposed on them. Districts will be able to design programs that reward accomplished educators who serve as a mentor to new teachers with a salary increase.” They still want to place greater reward for teachers in underserved areas, common with practices in large urban areas already.
There are three initiatives that will try to reach the children that slip through the cracks. They will focus on reaching children in middle school before they dropout, reaching children in after school programs, and outreach programs that encourage low-income families to consider post-secondary education.
Obama and Biden have big plans for what they call “Zero to Five.” This plan focuses on children from birth to five years of age and their parents. It supports early education and universal pre-school. They want to quadruple Early Head Start funding. Their efforts for this age group will be closely tied to their efforts to provide quality health care for this young age group. Obama’s health care program may make the funding for these early childhood programs difficult to carry out in the scope that they’ve planned.
The rising cost of college these days is a concern that Obama and Biden share with families across the U.S. They would like to create a tax credit called “American Opportunity” worth $4,000. In order for students to qualify, they would have to be involved in community service. Barack Obama.com says this “will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students.”
It’s exciting to think that big things will be happening for education in the years to come. What incentives do you think are most important for education? Share your thoughts in our discussion.
UKNO12
about 1 month ago
2 comments
I would like to respond to Sherrir485. Her comment on running education more like a corporation is interesting. However, in a corporation, they have the power to refuse any raw materials that will not make the highest grade of product. The suppliers must be able to meet their rigid standards. In education, we can not refuse any raw materials(students) that can not make the highest grade of product. We as educators have to work with what we are given. We have to bring these students up to the highest level they can attain. I think this is where the whole idea of education becoming corporate-like fails. Just a thought to ponder.
susanwachs
about 1 month ago
6 comments
I think Obama needs to tackle the issue of adequate funding. My friend and elementary school teacher brought in her own print paper this week because her school ran out. Here is a woman who barely makes a sustainable income having to bring in her own paper in order to do her job. Susan
JoEllen
about 1 month ago
22 comments
GoBama! I knew he was comsidering what could be done! Let's back him to protect all of our students and ourselves!JoEllen
jewlzkwon
about 1 month ago
10 comments
My husband is an engineer for several years about to get his license. His characteristic is appealing to teach science, coming from a background of stealthy math exposure and science fundamental lessons taught to him as a student in old world Korean language. If the gov't wants to have professionals already working in societal norms changes need to be implemented such as supportive pay rates that next to match the salaries of their field of science. If one is making more than 40 thousand in a firm, a person with advanced math and science skills will have an incentive to teach if there are support groups like the National Teacher's Forum, in creating a support for professionals who consider teaching a possibility with the help of English language support groups and entrepenurial accdess to Professionals in the field.
jewlzkwon
about 1 month ago
10 comments
I have lived in the Jersey City where minorities American African families were looking to programs like Head Start, a day care facitlity that is encouraged for students to attend where inner city parents, single parents, working immigrant parents, bilingual families, non degree parents send their children and attract a great opportunity for pre existing teachers to get involoved. Even though the hub of these facitlites are families and children and staff with growing needs Obahama is looking to solve the education scarce resources of families in need. WE SHOULD SUPPORT OBAHAMA'S APPEAL TO IMPROVE PRESCHOOL AT A LEVEL WHERE NEEDY FAMILIES ARE GOING TO GET THE LARGER STRAW, However families- parents have to create opportunities for their children by being involved in the community and their chld's development academic and social as well. julianna baylon kwon spc'05
jewlzkwon
about 1 month ago
10 comments
To educate a mind is to prepare a way.. an inroad to an in depth way of perceieving change for the future. julianna bailon kwon saint peter's college alumni class of 2005 elementary education and communications degree holder and parent of two.
hbaxter
about 1 month ago
2 comments
I am very fond of the zero-to five plan. I think it is great that we have an administration that feels as strongly about education as educators do.
It is going to be most beneficial for teachers and students not to teach to a test most of the year . We can actually teach different skills that students will need to survive as successful adults later in life. Work can be alot more fun than what it is now with all the tests every other day.
I am a Delegate for the FEA (Florida Education Association) and of the NEA (National Education Association.) We backed Obama/Biden because they were the ones who reached out to us, took our opinions and promise to reform the NCLB Act, make it where college students could continue get help to attend college(Pell Grant & etc.) and tripple headstart program funding.
When Obama spoke to NEA Delegates in P.A . this summer, we became hopeful for all these NEW ideas.
We believe and trust that our new administration will be effective in carrying out the promises that we all so heavily agreed on.
It is the Federal Government who supplies the schools with the fundings that can make schools better because they can bring about unity for all the schools who receive government funding. This I believe will help mold education into high expectations along with measuring student achievements through testing. (Oral or written)
I am also a public school teacher. I have also worked in private schools.
Those people who believe that public schools don't work obviously have never been involved in public schools. (working from the inside out)
Usually when you are on the outside looking in it is easy to be misinformed about the issues of education.
titusjames
about 1 month ago
2 comments
It's good Obama wants more Charter schools; but he should also want more home schoolers! They have proven to be the best at the spelling bees, and other areas, like talking. This is because they would be talking more to their parents and people of all ages and therefore they would talk right. People that go into middle school and high school, and even sometimes college, come out and speak more like ebonics.
And of course schools shouldn't be touched by the federal government, and not even the state, but locally run, then schools would really flourish, instead of the tax supported schools: a breeding ground for sex, drugs, cliques, bad attitudes, clothes, music, murder (columbine), and worst of all bad habits that last a life time. Just read the comment below by Sherrir485 if you don't believe me.
SHERRIR485
about 1 month ago
2 comments
Do we really expect the federal government to make education better? Do you know of one program that the government has taken over and made it better? I vote to privatize education and let the competition between schools drive excellence. If schools were run like top notch corporations that have to put as much emphasis on attracting and retaining excellent staff as they do on providing exemplary service to their clients, we might see some real strides made in education. Public education just fundamentally doesn't work. It isn't because of a lack of great teachers. It is because great teachers are forced to work in a flawed and inadequate system. If you don't think this is true, then why is the attrition rate of teachers 50% within the first five years of teaching??? Something is drastically wrong with this picture.
Rosanna
about 1 month ago
70 comments
For those who wish to get their voice heard by the new administration, please join the writing committee of the Declaration of Equity and Excellence in Education now being designed and developed by educators from the US, Canada, and 21 other countries. A friendly, supportive senator and congressman will bring it before the new administration after the swearing in. If you really want input, now is the time. Take action, and be part of history in the making. www.elementalethics.com or see article on The Apple, Called "Will you make history?"
MisterD
about 1 month ago
452 comments
Hold that excitement - it wil turn to disappointment soon enough in spite of aggressive efforts now to lower expectations!!
astricker
about 1 month ago
6 comments
I'm excited to see what changes the future may bring. The birth to five idea is long overdue. Imagine the possibilities if you could catch things when some of these kids are so young!
SueMcCarthy
about 1 month ago
2 comments
I am a Head Start teacher and I think increasing the budget would be wonderful as long as it ended up where it belongs. I also think that parents should have to be required to spend some time in the classroom or sending someone in for them. Parents are given free preschool services and asked only to volunteer. Programs have only two staff in classes and they are asked to complete more and more paper work as well as prepare lesson plans. With all the paper work required it is difficult to actually spend time with children. If parents were required to spend time in the classroom perhaps they could learn how to work with thier children at home.
johnslat
about 1 month ago
1748 comments
Dear ali56,
"I want you saports me physical education teach"
"Position: teachere
Industry: Education, Training, and Library
Location: Springdale, AR"
I really hope that it's your keyboard skills that are lacking.
Regards,
John
ali56
about 1 month ago
2 comments
i want you saports me physical education teach