Blog #1 – U.S. falling behind
“Report Benchmarking for Success call for action to ensure American students are globally competitive”
The report Benchmarking for Success found that, globally, the U.S. ranks 25th in math and 21st in science. The U.S. also ranks high in inequity for socioeconomic status. The recommendation is to renew focus on international benchmarking and looking to other countries when drafting state achievement standards. In practice this would involve upgrading state standards such that they are internationally benchmarked, ensure school resources are aligned to internationally benchmarked standards and draw on best practices from other nations, recruit more top performing teachers, and support those teachers. States should also increase school accountability and assess students in ways that are easily comparable to international performance.
What strikes me about this article is that many of the recommendations should be being addressed through the No Child Left Behind Act. Hiring ‘highly qualified’ teachers is similar to recruiting teachers from the top performers. The issue for the U.S. is, of course, that many top graduates can get higher paying and more autonomous, and more prestigious jobs quite easily. NCLB increased school accountability, but has unrealistic expectations of schools, especially given the lack of resources and support offered to failing schools. It is unlikely that states will receive additional support from the government for internationally alighned texts, curricula, and technology, especially during the current recession. The recommendations aimed at the states are very much dependent on a society that values education more than the U.S. currently demonstrates. While the report on international benchmarking offers important evidence of the need for the U.S. to put more resources and research into improving education and lists steps toward increasing student achievement, the reality of U.S. societal values and economic situation make it unlikely that the recommendations will be implemented until there are concrete effects from our educational shortcomings.
Regardless of the actions taken by federal and state governments, as teachers we benefit our students when we keep in mind the necessity to prepare them to a competitive global economy and remain lifelong learners in both our content area and teaching practices.
