American public schools continue to rank behind those of other industrialized nations. Our youth are simply not receiving the education they need or deserve to meet the needs of an increasingly competitive and challenging world. President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" Act, however well-meaning, is insufficient to produce the changes that are needed in the American public school system. Increased accountability is important, and schools do need to implement some forms of standardized testing systems to gauge student performance. However, budget cuts of schools result in lackluster teaching, overcrowding in classrooms, and a lack of support for stimulating programs in such subjects as science, art, music, and physical education. Therefore, while many public schools across America are improving their test scores and increasing the rigorousness of their curricula, we still have a long way to go before American public schools can be ranked as high as those in other industrialized nations.
One of the main challenges, if not the main challenge, that American public schools face is the amazing diversity of the student body. Students with various needs are crowded into the same classroom, and teachers have few resources to draw from in order to accommodate their individual needs. The most important factors in providing educational equity include improving access to educational and community services for people with special needs and for people whose first language is not English. Parents and students need to participate fully in the educational process. Also, teachers need to be aware of the specific needs of students from different cultural or linguistic backgrounds and alter curriculum accordingly. Another key factor in improving educational equity is ensuing that students who are struggling academically receive all the support they need from as early an age as possible. Rather than stick struggling students into remedial classes thereby negatively labeling them for life, educators need to stimulate their unique talents and abilities in order to help them thrive.
