Education and the Election

It’s important to look at the educational statistics in New Jersey – across the state there appears to be a significant disproportion in the numbers. Indeed across the city of Newark there is a discrepancy – the difference in numbers from Malcom X. Shabazz High School to Arts High School is astounding. Shabazz’s drop out rate is 4.5 times that of Arts! Nearly five times more Arts students than Shabazz students are proficient in HSPA Math and nearly two times more Arts students than Shabazz students are proficient in Literature. Although the two schools are in the same district, and both are allowed the same per pupil expenditures ($17,237), 10% less of the student population graduates from Shabazz and nearly 20% less plans on furthering their education. The neighboring town, Harrison (where I went to high school) has a much lower per pupil expenditure ($14,309). Although people generally assume that Newark public schools are sub par, Arts High’s HSPA scores are higher than Harrison High’s. Harrison has a higher graduation rate, but 8% less Harrison students plan to pursue higher education.

As future educators, looking at inconsistencies such as these can tell us a lot about what needs to be accomplished. We need to be able to work with what we’re given and be accountable for our shortcomings. How can two schools in the same district be so inconsistent? What are they doing differently from each other and why aren’t they both held to the same standards? More importantly, what can we, as a community (not just teachers, but administrators, parents, politicians etc.) do to give all Newark students the same educational opportunities?

I think a good place to start is at the very, very top of the chain of command. With a presidential election only two weeks away, it’s important to know what the candidates’ stances on educational policy are. Regardless of your political persuasion, you have to agree that schools are not where they should be, not just in Newark or New Jersey, but across the country.

Republican candidate McCain would add less than $1 billion dollars to the $70 billion education budget – he advocates making the best of what we have, and learning to spend more efficiently. Of NCLB, McCain has said it is, “A good beginning,” but we need to “improve it” by offering a wider range of “choice and competition.” Democratic candidate Obama believes the answer to our educational troubles is to allocate an additional $18 billion dollars a year in funding to schools, $10 billion of which would go preschool programs. He has said that, “"NCLB has demoralized our educators, broken its promise to our children and must be changed in a fundamental way." McCain’s critics have maintained that schools need more money in order to operate efficiently; indeed, when we look at districts such as Dallas (thanks, Edubabbler), their observations don’t sound too far-fetched. Obama’s critics have counter-argued that implementing his reforms would raise the federal deficit and that throwing more money at schools is pointless if they don’t know how to spend it wisely.

I won’t pretend to have the answers and cannot say who has the better plan; in fact, I think that’s irrelevant. What I will say is that the future of educational policy is at stake in this election. The two candidates have very different ideas about what reforms need to happen, and the future of educational policy rests in their hands.

References:

MALCOLM X SHABAZZ HIGH 2006-07 SCHOOL REPORT CARD

HARRISON HIGH 2006-07 SCHOOL REPORT CARD

ARTS 2006-07 SCHOOL REPORT CARD

Asimov, Nanette. “Big differences in candidates' education plans.” San Francisco Chronicle 20 Oct. 2008 . 21 Oct. 2008.