If you could change the ENTIRE American school system, what would you change?

Question

I mean like before university. Elementary, Middle, and High School.

Answer 1

This is a simple answer: pay the teachers more money to start a career that requires a professional degree. Institute performance pay increases on a yearly basis. Pay teachers that perform better than others more money. Put in place a system to get rid of teachers that are ineffective. Before firing them, move them into other areas of teaching. They mind their niche in another area or at another grade level. Everyone is good at teaching something, it is just a matter of finding that something. States that use Lotto to raise money for education need to be forced to use the money for that purpose. Too many Lotto states reallocate money away from their educational programs for other special interest areas in their budgets. Next, tie the money allocated for each student to that student and allow parents to choose the school best suited for their children. The next change is to forbid teachers from suggesting that students have learning disabilities. When teachers make these medical diagnoses, they do the student a disservice. They give the child an excuse to fail. No student should ever hear that they have a learning disability, even when a doctor determines that one exists. Instead, focus on alternative methods of teaching that child. ADD, ADHD, and the entire alphabet of amateur diagnoses will not help the student once they reach the work force. No boss cares about a learning disability when it comes to the bottom line of their company.


Good luck!

Will D
Enterprise AL
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Answer 2

Equalize the educational opportunities for all children, set standards at levels competitive with the rest of the world, compensate teachers for excellence.

Schools are generally funded by real estate tax, rich areas get more funding because the home values are higher. Poor areas have poor schools because the home values are less.

I would change this by putting all money into a central fund and distributing it equally or even putting more money where it is most needed in poor neighborhoods where the kids have more challenges. School uniforms would be a good equalizer in the classroom as well so kids could focus on studying rather than who's celebrity name is on their sneakers.

Finally there should be tough standardized exams to pass at the end of every year in school. If the child fails, they must repeat the year without exception. If a child is forced to repeat the year, the parents should have to pay a penalty that helps to reimburse the cost to society and gets them involved as they have a stake in the problem.

The U.S. has fallen behind many countries in the world in educating their children. These tests should be set nationally and at a level competitive with the best schools in the rest of the world. America must compete with the rest of the world, that is where the standard for American education must be set.

Teachers should have incentive too. They should get a bonus based on year to year improvement of test scores even if the students are not yet up to national levels.

This would reward all teachers who improve the level of education at all schools, not just the rich areas where achievement is already high. It would offer the opportunity for greatest rewards in schools where improvement is most needed.

Nationally the level of respect and pay needs to be raised for teachers. This should be a priority.

Answer 3

Start kids in 1st grade at age 4. Childrens minds are like sponges! the rest of the world starts official education at or around this time- in the U.S the typical age is 6!

Answer 4

Get the Federal government out of the public schools.

Answer 5

Back to basic education. Reading, writing, math.

Technological education only after basic education is mastered. I know of too many high school graduates who have played thousands of hours of video games, but have never read a book

Answer 6

Teachers Pay....It is outrageous that the men and women who are in charge of our future leaders ...etc...are not paid the same as the men and who save lives...the importance of both doctors and teachers duties are basically the same...
They hold in they're hands the lives of ...welll...US...If the pay increased...then so would the teachers...allowing students to learn rather than strain

Answer 7

Make parents more accountable start immediately in K or 1st grade, with penalties etc. The root problem is bad parenting.

Answer 8

Every student should be homeschooled. They learn more, the quality of leaning is better and it increases a child's want to learn.

Answer 9

standardized exit exams throughout the nation such as the Highschool exit exam. can't be just by state.

Answer 10

college would be free to anyone with a 2.5 grade average or higher.