The future financial
well-being of everyone in the United States (who is now or will soon be)
over 60
is in
the hands of
everyone
(who is now) under 30. Only a strong, globally
domestic economy can assure that there are sufficient
government and business resources to meet the future needs
of an older generation, and only through the availability
and commitment to a high quality education system can the
younger generation have any assurance that their life
style will be equal to or better than that of the previous
generation.
To improve student outcome we need to :
Make use of
measurement systems that are jointly developed by
educators and policy makers
Make positive changes in the education system that are
predictable, manageable, sustainable and flexible, and are
expected to
have a long term positive impact on student
outcome
As
appropriate, make
the education process increasingly responsive to
external challenges
However, there are
challenges:
Change
is difficult and generally slow
The
nation appears impatient for student improvement...but has
not yet converted that impatience into sufficient
funding
Changing
demographics will put increasing pressure on school funding
(e.g. an increasing number of
seniors tend to be reluctant to approve school tax
increases)
A
majority of the nation's schools and classrooms (still) need to be modified
to provide a quality learning environment
Student safety
and security has taken on a new level of urgency, and has
resulted in a diversion of limited resources
Education-Technology funding at the national level is
decreasing and
there is insufficient political commitment to assure that
it will be sufficiently funded over the
long term for system maintenance, upgrades and new
equipment
The decreasing "life cycle" of technology products will
increase replacement funding pressures
The added value of a technology supported education is not
yet fully appreciated by all
There
is no widely accepted “technology model” to serve as a
template for change
There is a a reluctance to adopt the teaching methods of other
nations, even in cases where success in specific areas
can be demonstrated
There is a recognized shortage of teachers qualified to
teach science and math, and significant obstacles to
increase their numbers
In
the end, if positive change is to be made it will be necessary to:
Consider
the students and nation's needs simultaneously
while building a local and national consensus that the
implications of educational compromise are simply not
acceptable.