A Broken System
It is no secret that today in the United States, public education is failing us. All too often we hear about those who “just weren't good in school”. We hear about those who dropped out and those who just manage to scrape by. In comparison to world averages, American students are falling behind in mathematics, reading and the sciences. In education, it seems that America’s priority lies more with teaching students how to pass a test rather than learning about these subjects in a manner that can be utilized within a students career and future. There has been little to no core emphasis on life skills that will allow students to shape their financial lives such as job prospect, wealth creation or even something as simple as filing taxes. Students are not encouraged to discuss important and worldly issues within politics and society. It is obvious schools are failing us, and to make this matter worse, the general populous doesn't even realize it because the media would rather talk about the latest menacing act done by a mad man or presidential tweet.
What if we had a system that treats education differently? What if we had a system that treats students less like a product of an educators labor and more like a future citizen of a democracy that is constantly growing with innovation and creativity? What if we had a system that lets students and families work out a truly personalized curriculum that engages a students curiosity about the world and the future they want to pursue? What if, instead of providing an education, we provide a future.
The following paragraphs outline in detail a plan and a comprehensive reform of education within the United States. This plan instructs how money, time and other resources can be allocated at the State, County, School, family, and individual level.
A Constitutional, Market, opportunity
According to the 10th amendment of the United States constitution, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Unlike our unconstitutional system of education today that relies on standardized tests, the education of the future will be a marketplace where States, Counties, and cities will be able to provide scholarships and vouchers in order to pay for school. A privatized school system will create tremendous opportunities to ways of education that are alternative the status quo, such as the one outlined in the following paragraphs and several other instructional methods that will be shaped by the free market. Schools, facilities and staff will no longer receive funding from the federal government or the states. Insted, States, Counties and Cities will provide money in the form of scholarships and vouchers directly to families in order to transfer power out of the hands of bureaucrats in Washington and into the hands of Mothers, Fathers, and the families of students. This process will force a massive and immediate change within both public and private institutions. Among those are a market response to how education is conducted. For example, institutions both public and private will now be forced to provide a better quality of education and equality of outcome in order to maintain profit for the salaries of educators and maintain facilities that will be on the cutting edge of educational opportunity. Another foreseen benefit to giving the freedom of choice into the hands of families is that, families will now be more inclined to research and help find an institution that best suits the needs of the student in particular. Similar to how one goes about picking a college that best suits their needs. The major difference however, will be that parents will be less limited by fanial ties due to government funded scholarships that insure an equal access to a quality education within States. In order to achieve these outlined goals for privatization of schools both of the following must occur on a federal level.
An abolishment of the department of education, as well as, an abolishment of all bureaucracy within the federal government that undermines the rights of States to determine the method of education and funding that best suites the citizens of thereof.
States will need to defund all public schools and transfer funding into the form of scholarships that allow families to actively determine the best place of instruction for students.
An Outline for the Logistics of Education
The new system of education will primarily focus on four main objectives, among those are;
A primary education that trains and inspires students to learn and perform through the course of their life.
A secondary education that focuses on helping a student decide which branch of education best suits them for their aspirations and goals within life.
A tertiary education that focuses on a solid understanding of their chosen branch and a concentration of knowledge that enables them to excel at upper level education, job prospect, or vocational trade.
Synthesize a new and exceptional generation of citizens that will effectively lead, innovate, and promote the welfare of their held values within society in a manner that is civil, justified, and ensures prosperity to values that are consistent to our nation's founding.
Primary Education
Primary education in the general sense should be implemented among students from the age of 5 to 12 depending on the students ability and needs to advance with a secondary education. For perspective, this is would be the equivalent of grades K-6. During this age students brains are undergoing the last bit of major change that they will experience within life, therefore core skills that will be of lifelong use must be effectively established to produce maximum potential. During primary education students and families will structure the type of learning environment that is best within regards to the students ability to learn and adapt. Among this structure, a diverse range of learning environments will be available to students according to their learning aptitude upon examinations. Examinations will serve strictly as a guideline to students and families and the option for a learning environment that is indefinitely up to both the student and parents. Counseling will be available to both students and families in order to help with placement among learning environments. Learning environments can consist of a wide variety of teaching and instruction styles depending on which of the core subjects is being instructed. During primary education, students will learn the following; basic mathematics, spoken and written English, critical thinking, reading and personal life skills that will effectively set them up for successful interactions within career, social and leisure settings. If the student and family so choses, they may enroll into a foreign language at an early age as the outcome will be expert level in comparison to someone who chooses to learn a second language later in life. An additional emphasis will be placed on reading to insure a students ability to learn and adapt throughout the course of their life. Learning environments can range from classes of 5 to 10 people with multiple instructors and mentors within subjects depending on the students ability within the class. Progression of material will no longer be based on age and grade level, but be based upon an understanding of knowledge rather than a students age to insure that all students excel within these basic skills. Courses and curriculums will be offered in short, frequent sections called constituents. The length and time of constituents should vary depending on the course and will ultimately be under the jurisdiction of the instructor, and overseen by the school. Students and parents will be able to choose instructors, place of instruction, as well as, constituents according to the need of the individual.
Secondary Education
Secondary education within the general populace should be implemented for ages 13 and 14, but may be adjusted depending on the individual students maturity. This is the equivalent to grades 7 and 8 within the current system. During this age, students are maturing enough to begin to logically and emotionally understand concepts and topics of a higher caliber. Students will be exposed to a wide variety of subjects in order to pique the interest and curiosity of an individual. The goal of attaining a liberal education during these years also serves as a gauge as to what skills and attributes a student excels and feels confident with. Students will take a variety of constituents within the fields and subfields of advanced mathematics, science, social studies, business, engineering, and computers. Students will also have the option to take an equivalent quantity of the following; design, production, construction, medicine, politics, education, fine arts, writing, entrepreneurship, foreign language, and several other curriculums regarded as trades. As in Primary Education, both students and families will effectively be able to regulate the learning environment, curriculums, mentors, and instructors. Advancement throughout Secondary Education will be based on a students ability and knowledge rather than age. Courses and curriculums will be offered in short, frequent sections called constituents. The length and time of constituents should vary depending on the course and will ultimately be under the jurisdiction of the instructor, and overseen by the school.
Tertiary Education
Tertiary education should serve to separate students into one of three categories that strongly refine and determine a desired skill set. Tertiary education should be the equivalent to grades 9-12 depending on the maturity and ability of the student to advance. Category one consists of all vocational trades and all education that prepares students for future careers that require an expertise in a subject that is manual, mechanical or industrial in its nature. Students in this field will learn about the in depth knowledge and specification to perform labor within a job of the prescribed disposition. Students within this branch can receive certification in a variety of fields that will allow them to pursue a career or higher vocational education shortly after they complete a tertiary education. Category two consists of all education that will prepare students for a profession within an extremely refined field that is governmental, medical, educational, law, science or technology related. Students within this field will learn the required information and knowledge that will allow them to expedite the process of higher education within their desired field. Category three consists of all education that centers around business, wealth creation, entrepreneurship, innovation, investing or all other fields relating to job creation and capitalistic endeavors. Students within this field will learn the skills necessary to achieve a wide variety of financial and business related goals that aim to prepare students to thrive within a competitive and growing free market. However, all students regardless of branch will be required to have a strong understanding of the American system relating to the following four principles. One, that in America there will always be a need for unskilled and skilled labor in order to maintain the physical intricacies that allow our country to maintain a high standard of living and a powerful infrastructure. Two, that America will always have a need for specialized individuals responsible for carrying out tasks and projects that requires a heavily refined knowledge and skill set in order to complete. Three, that America will always have a need for individuals that create wealth, jobs, and business that is crucial to the progression of our country and to the western world. Four, that America will always have a need for a strongly educated populace that is knowledgeable about worldly topics that will help make important decisions regarding how they vote, serve jury duty, stand trial, and uphold civil liberties. In tertiary, both students and families will effectively be able to regulate the learning environment, curriculum, mentors and instructors. Advancement throughout tertiary education will be based on a student’s ability and knowledge rather than age. Courses and curriculum's will be offered in short, frequent sections called constituents. The length and time of the constituents should vary depending on the course and will ultimately be under the jurisdiction of the instructor and overseen by the school.