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May 2005...
K-12 Education: An Economic Development Tool

We often talk about how uncompetitive the U.S. K-12 education is when compared to other nations. The Third International Math and Science Survey (TIMSS) indicates that our students aren’t performing well in science and math when compared to other countries. In many instances students move on to high school despite significant difficulties in reading.

Senate Bill 1, No Child Left Behind, signed by President Bush in 2001, identified specific mandates for schools to ensure that all children are able to obtain a decent education. Standards are in place to monitor progress. Congress hoped that this initiative would address lagging performance effectively with language and cultural diversities as well assist children who are slow learners.

While this important piece of legislation addresses some of the problems in the U.S. education system, it will not make us competitive with other nations because it only addresses standardization. Each child in a grade level needs to meet certain standards prior to being promoted to the next grade. The bill doesn’t address the needs of average or above-average learners. Schools are consumed with the impending need to make every child proficient in reading and math, leaving little time to enrich the learning environment for average or above average learners. Some school districts have Advanced Placement (A.P.) or “Gate” programs. Others cannot afford them. If they are offered, most do not offer them soon enough.

So how can we become more competitive? What can local schools districts do to create “state-of-the-art” education in northeastern Pennsylvania? It’s simple __ focus on the key components of educational reform and best practices in educating all students. That means that teachers should be adept at differentiating instruction so that slower learners have an opportunity to succeed while faster paced learners have an opportunity to extend their knowledge. Furthermore, school districts need to have the physical facilities to meet the educational needs of students. However, given the potential tax burden, districts should consider building new buildings only after serious consideration and thorough financial comparison of the costs. School districts should ensure that existing structures are safe, up to code, and are outfitted with the tools, including technology, that are needed to educate all children.

Since the tendency is to have more regional schools as opposed to smaller neighborhood schools, and since most schools have multiple classes at a particular grade level, differentiating instruction is more manageable. It would be easy to test children and group them by ability in key subjects such as math and reading with appropriate changes in content and instructional strategies. The No Child Left Behind mandate could still be met. However, those children who possess the ability to move at a faster pace could do so, thus getting more from their educational experience. Overall, schools following such a plan perform better and exceed standards. Many small, local private schools already engage in this type of teaching, yet few northeastern Pennsylvania residents can afford private school education.

Initiatives like all-day kindergarten; exposure to language; music; and writing in early primary years; and critical thinking skills are simple measures to enhance education.

Some additional strategies are to: • Encourage dress codes/uniforms to de-emphasize the social aspect of school. • Create an “Adopt a School” program. Ask businesses to adopt a local K-6 schools and encourage employees to tutor, read, or educate on career opportunities. • Develop Business-to-School Programs. Graduating students are the first pool of potential hires for open positions within local companies. This applies to both high school and college students. • Emphasize math and science for middle school girls to foster their interest level and encourage career development in those disciplines. • Increase the number of minimum days per year or lengthen the school day. • Redefine the hiring process for teachers to focus on their skills, ability, and experience. • Salary and performance appraisals should be based on merit not on tenure.

We’re not suggesting that the entire burden should be on school administrators and teachers. However, they have the tools to make this positive change, so it begins with them. Parents are the other component of the education triad. Some parents believe the burden of teaching falls on the schools. That’s not true. If parents truly want what’s best for their children, they must take responsibility in helping their children with homework, staying involved with teachers and the school, promoting and pushing the benefits of education, and engaging children in appropriate afterschool activity.

School administrators, teachers, and parents (the education triad) must focus on creating a generation of learners from youth. Our expectations should be high and follow up (on progress) should be intense. As a result, significant changes in public education may be necessary.

It is imperative that we increase the number of residents moving on to higher education or post-secondary technical training. As a region, we’ll never compete for higher-wage- paying jobs without the appropriately educated and skilled workforce.

Despite the complexities of the school systems, unions and various federal and state mandates, there are innovative solutions that can be gleaned from school districts across the country to improve public education. Parents must see the value in continuing education and encourage it in the household and place importance on learning in the early grades. Educators need to be able to encourage average and above-average students to work harder and faster to increase the students’ capacity and knowledge. Administrators need to provide the systems, the freedom, and less bureaucracy for this to happen. In other words, education needs to be the primary focus, not ancillary services which could be privatized. Sports, while important to development, should not be the main focal point of a student’s education experience.

As JUSC researched communities that have been successful in developing stronger local economies, one consistent strategy has been an initiative to enhance the education system. The more highly educated an individual is, the higher the wages he/she can command, which in turn filters through the economy. Therefore, the intensity of our education system must increase and in a low income, low “higher education attainment” area such as northeastern Pennsylvania, special attention must be given to parents who either don’t see value in higher education or are not in a position to help their children because of their own lack of schooling.