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Response to Jason
These two online field trips are especially important because each is part of the United States Department of Education: the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Transforming Teaching and Learning site. I appreciate the insight into how educators make tremendous personal sacrifices beliving in the value of their work in promoting higher quality of life in the society. For example, the author states, “The thoughts of spending $70,000-$100,000 for an education to receive a job in which you make $40,000 a year seems like a losing proposition for many would be education majors.” In spite of the horrendous statistics related to actual job or career outcomes, the field of education proves tremendously rewarding. For example, the Transforming Teaching and Learning site also includes information linked to leadership development among students. I agree that leadership development is crucial for young educators, but also for students in general.
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) supplants No Child Left Behind, by raising overall education standards while also protecting the right of every student to having the best possible education. Information sharing and the optimized use of technology is central to the future of education. However, the future of education also requires the diversion of funds to critical services such as early childhood education and equal access to preschool. Closing the achievement gaps means providing all children with equitable access to preschool, and offering all parents equal access to childcare opportunities that help ultimately reduce educational disparities. By reducing disparities early in a child’s life, we can collectively create a more egalitarian society.
Response to Steven
The United States Department of Education is a natural first stop for an online field trip. The No Child Left Behind Act was imperfect but deserves recognition as an important step towards recognizing the needs of all children in the country. This analysis is good in the sense that it shows a prospective reader of the NCLB website what to expect. The headers are well-organized, including information related to education laws, information related to student loan programs, and other pertinant knowledge for educators, students, and parents. Especially relevant are the pages that are about FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Act), and the Higher Education Act.
In addition to the Department of Education’s No Child Left Behind Act web pages, the NCLBA hearing reports also offers important information. I agree that the website is accessible and easy to read, navigate, and understand. Similarly, the website offers readers access to statistics and other quantitative information. This helps to show that education is not just rooted in qualitative research but also in quantitative, data-driven evidence.
The hearing NCBLA focused on the issue of accountability in particular. Most spectators would agree that accountability and honesty are the most important criticisms of the NCLB act. The fundamental or underlying principles of the act are sound. However, implementing the act requires political expediency and also economic expediency. The needs of students and teachers should never be subsumed in favor of political and economic expediency. Problems that are rampant in American culture can be ultimately traced to ill-informed educational policies and other public policies.
When it comes to education specifically, it is true that all children do need individualized attention. Not all students have the same aptitudes in all areas. Some high achievers do well in some subject areas but not in others. Recognizing multiple intelligences is important for overall educational success.
References
Accountability. (2005, December 19). Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/nclb/accountability/index.html
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2018, from https://www.ed.gov/essa?src=rn
Improving Achievement for All Students: Is NCLB Accountability Producing Results? (2006, May 22). Retrieved from https://assets.aspeninstitute.org/content/uploads/files/content/docs/nclb/AtlantaReport060606.pdf
Razik, T. A. & Swanson, A.D. (2010). Fundamental Concepts of Educational Leadership and Management, 3rd Edition. [MBS Direct]. Retrieved from https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780134471440/
Transforming Teaching and Leading. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2018, from https://www.ed.gov/teaching?src=rn