Blueprinting Education

The United States Department of Education released A Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in March 2010. It is in fact a blueprint, a plan to strengthen former plans by changing the way young Americans are educated. It is also a bipartisan starting point for reform to The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, originally signed into law in 1965. The most recent change to the Act was in 2001 with No Child Left Behind (NCLB), a highly controversial act that stubbornly insists all students will meet certain standards. Blueprint, in its entirety, addresses issues teachers and parents have with NCLB. In future blog posts, I plan to explore the potential changes Secretary Arne Duncan maintains will fix current NCLB issues. Right now, lets review back-end knowledge about the situation.

"Today, more than ever, a world-class education is a prerequisite for success," President Obama's introductory letter in Blueprint begins. His letter is a pep talk, giving warnings that if education is left unfixed, our country will suffer. "A generation ago, we led all nations in college completion, but today, 10 countries have passed us." Change in the actual manner of educating, he continues, is what needs changed, or other countries will out-compete us. His warnings are largely based on the idea that American culture does not support education like other countries. The government can pass laws and tweak expectations, but until citizens support educators and prepare students to learn, real change will not come.

He then outlines the Blueprint's two goals. First, by 2020, the United States will lead the world in college completion, beginning by raising expectations for everyone involved in education. High school graduates will be well prepared for college and a career. Secondly, like the current administration, Americans should see education as a moral imperative. The message is that education is a national priority, and all Americans must involve themselves. This idea relates back to the warnings in President Obama's letter. Only when Americans invest in education will it change.

A Blueprint for Reform in part addresses the core problems with No Child Left Behind. It is unclear how deep the damage from NCLB runs. Not only did NCLB create illogical standards and punish teachers and schools for problems beyond their control, it additionally fostered students' dread toward school. A Blueprint for Reform acknowledges that the roots of the education system as well as the federal role in education must change for true education reform. Of course, those roots start with everyday citizens and their respect for education. Blueprint sets the platform for changing the educational culture in America, as well as NCLB. My next post will examine these fixes, their practicalities and controversies.

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