How The Education System Is Failing our Children: Overview

I want to preface this podcast episode to convey this is in no way a derogatory indication to the students. This episode will be different in two main ways. I am videoing this episode, to allow the content to be applied on differing platforms. Additionally, I am approaching the subject involving America’s education system initially broadly, then in later episodes deeper with more details.

This is a sensitive and emotional subject, and I do not take this lightly. You can follow me on the current platform you are listening to or watching, as I plan to discuss this topic extensively.

Let’s begin.

Recently, I have had the privilege to assist students prepping for their ACT and ASVAB upcoming tests. As with all forms of assistance, an initial pulse check is necessary to see what the current situation is. In regard to education, an evaluation is necessary to see the student’s current understanding of the subjects.

As more students are evaluated, one starts to see a pattern forming. There are certain subject materials showing weakness, and other areas appear as expected. However, when you continue to see weakness, there is a problem. As additional students are evaluated the results continue to emphasize this pattern of weakness.

The pattern I continue to see is a lack of understanding involving the expected education grade level. And this is found regardless of the public school location. This is across the spectrum of the geographic landscape.

Years ago, I watched the documentary, “Waiting for Superman.” If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. You can find it free online, as it was released in 2010. The documentary follows the trail through the education system, identifying the issues involving dropouts, children confined to one choice based on their geography, and overburdened bureaucracies placing administration structure over student needs. This particular documentary stuck with me, and I have always known the education system has issues.

In fact, it is one of the reasons I ran and was voted in as a public school board member, serving a five-year term. I wanted to make a positive change, providing my time and energy. Little did I know then that time and energy are restrained and confined, as a public figure. As one told me, and I reconvey it, once you enter the tent, your hands are tied. I entered the public education system as a School Board Member and found for many things, my hands tied.

There is a stark difference between what you think you can do and legally what you really can do. That distinction is only found, once you cross the line from a concerned parent to a public figure.

What makes quality in a School System?

When one speaks of quality, with regard to a school system, the answers can vary. The first thing you need to do is identify how to qualify quality through the quality markers. Quality markers are typically based on priorities. Is the school environment safe? Does the system apply provisions to specific topics? Does the system provide the student needs in nutrition, for those unable to supply basic needs?

As you begin to break this question of quality down, it becomes evident to be a complicated question. Depending on geography, available parental working environment opportunities, the child’s home environment, and many other factors, different priorities are inevitable, leading to diverse answers.

Those answers will be dependent on the child’s current status and current needs. One thing we can all agree on is the child’s basic needs must be met before he or she can adequately learn deeply. Morally, we as parents and as a society should provide that child the necessary education to prepare for the future. In my opinion, with what I am seeing, that need is not being met or is in desperate need of scaffolding. We are failing the child and limiting their potential as well as their rights for a better future.

What can we honestly do?

Before we can resolve any issue, we need to understand the issue. We need to break it down into the components and subcomponents and review them individually. Once we understand the structure and infrastructure, we can begin to identify the shortcomings, then provide the necessary scaffolding to mend them.

Taking a broad view.

For this education series, I want to provide a broad view of our current education system initially. Then review deeper on the intricacies. I plan to focus on two states Oklahoma and Arkansas.

I will also be focusing on the public school system.

Oklahoma Currently

The following information is being acquired from the OSSBA.org official website as of today, August 26, 2022.

Overall, Oklahoma’s public school education system is serving 75,000 more students today than 20 years ago. Among the enrollment increase, we see a 45% increase in English Language Learners, a 47% increase in special education needs, and a 112% increase in free lunch participation.

Oklahoma consists of 509 public school districts, consisting of around 1809 K-12 public schools. The largest public school district in Oklahoma is Oklahoma City. From what I can find, at this time the charter school Epic contains the most students.

Arkansas Currently

The following information is being acquired from the arkansasonline.com official website as of today, August 26, 2022.

Arkansas has seen a dip in public school education enrollment when compared with today and 2019. This could mainly be due to the increased usage of charter and online school availability, as well as homeschooling. In fact, if counting homeschooling it would be considered the largest school district in Arkansas.

According to Arkansas Code Annex, there are 261 school districts, consisting of around 1042 K-12 public schools. The largest public school district in Arkansas is Springdale, not Little Rock.

While this is a broad view, we can see the magnitude of students currently in public schooling alone, not entirely taking fully into consideration homeschooling, charter schools, private schools, and alternative choices. There are many lives dependent on quality education.

For this series, I want to focus on key issues and attempt to break them down and find, if possible, resolutions. So, I invite you to stay with me and together we can look into this topic of how the education system is failing our youth.