America, Where Are You - 1831 Words

Helen Rivera 4/02/2015 Professor Adejumo POS2112 Education: America, Where are you? The American Dream. â€Å"That dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.† - James Truslow Adams, 1931. (The American Dream. What Is The American Dream?) But are we living that dream? In America, freedom is the epitome of what it means to be American with the freedom of speech, the freedom of religion, and the freedom to have an education. Our founding father, Thomas Jefferson, knew that having an educated citizenry was essential for a thriving democracy (Maglebe 210). But even though this country is based on a life that â€Å"should be better and richer and†¦show more content†¦(Ryan). These scores are mediocre compared to the educational powerhouses like Singapore, Korea and Finland. So why is the U.S. struggling to keep up in education? It appears to be due to the way the education system is set up. In order to understand the probable issues with the system, you need to first understand how the system works. Students typically start school around the age of three or four. They spend six years in elementary school, three years in middle school, and four years in high school. From there, they can either choose to continue their education in either vocational school, at a community college, or at a university. There is access to a free public education in grades K-12, but without financial aid, college can be very costly. There are a lot of government financial aid programs, but each year the cost of tuition increases, making it harder for some individuals to receive a college education. As for the administration of public education, there are several different levels on how schools are managed. There are public institutions that are managed in part by the national administration, but primarily by the state and local government. In terms of education, it is necessary for it to be governed locally because of the different needs that each district may face. Since some schools are in wealthier neighborhoods, they may score better than others that may be in much poorer neighborhoods. Public schools are funded