Climate change, the rapid evolution of technology, and the continued recovery from a global pandemic — these challenges have compounded the need for education reform. As societal pressures and educational shortcomings become more apparent, it is essential to understand what education reform is and why it is critical today.
Despite significant advances, students today are struggling in many areas — and the breakdowns of the system are clearly apparent. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) collects and analyzes statistics related to education in the United States, and findings from the 2023 school year show a decline in many areas.
- Student performance in basic reading and math skills is declining. Recent assessments show the largest score drop in reading for 9-year-olds since 1990. [1]
- There is a nationwide increase in student absenteeism, with 22% of fourth-grade public school students reported being absent five days or more in a month. [2]
- The nation is battling a teacher shortage. Public and private schools are both struggling to fill open positions in elementary and secondary schools. [2]
The problems are numerous, and the statistics are sobering. Education reform is needed now more than ever.
Recent Reforms
Historically, education reform has been a constant present in the United States. The first wave of major change came in the early 19th century and established our current public school system.
In more recent years, we’ve seen acts such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Every Student Succeeds (ESSA). These pieces of legislation add more support to disadvantaged students and schools. [3,4]
Teaching standards have also been addressed when Common Core Standards launched in 2009. These standards laid out both the skills students should have at each grade level and broader expectations of what teachers and education officials should include in the curriculum.
(For more on this, check out our article diving deeper into the history of education reform or our article on strategies and recommendations for education reform now!)
Key Concepts
So what is education reform? It encompasses a wide variety of initiatives — changes to curriculum, teaching methods and teacher training; funding models; assessment practices; and of course, increasing access to a high-quality education for all students. Understanding what education reform is starts with these key points:
Curriculum and Standards
This area focuses on revising the content taught in schools to ensure that it is relevant, comprehensive and aligns with the current knowledge and skills required for our society. It incorporates subjects that reflect the needs of our modern workforce, while also fostering critical thinking, creativity, and cultural awareness.
Assessment and Accountability
Developing fair and accurate ways to measure student learning and school performance is crucial. Standardized testing has been the primary tool for measuring student success, but they have limitations. It does not account for diverse learning styles, puts pressure on students and teachers, and narrows the focus of education. More holistic approaches are gaining popularity and increasing quality of student experience.
Education reform seeks to measuring student success by observing a student’s improvement over time, providing ongoing feedback, and looking at more than just test scores.
Teacher Training/Professional Development and Learning Methods
This concept centers around enhancing teacher training and ongoing professional development to ensure they are well-equipped to deliver a high-quality education to all students. Effective training programs allow educators to stay current with industry research, new technologies and innovative teaching strategies.
Promoting diverse learning methods such as collaborative learning, project-based learning, and more personalized instruction helps engage students and cater to individual needs and interests.
Technology Integration
Incorporating technology into the classroom can enhance learning opportunities and prepare students for the modern digital world. This concept focuses on using electronic tools and resources to support teaching and learning — such as educational software, virtual classrooms, and even interactive whiteboards. Teaching of digital literacy skills is also crucial, so students can effectively navigate and evaluate online information.
Funding and Resources
It is vital to address disparities in school funding to ensure that all schools have the necessary resources to provide a quality education to all students. Many current funding models are based on local property taxes, leading to significant inequalities between districts.
Conclusion
What education reform methods are used at a given time changes and evolves. However, the goal remains steadfast: to improve the educational system and enhance the quality and effectiveness of schooling to better meet the needs of students and society. As America continues to progress, the goals of educators must also adjust so we can prepare our students for their best possible futures.
Effective education reform efforts involve collaboration among educators, policymakers, parents, students — and the support of the broader community. Understanding what education reform is and actively participating in these efforts is crucial for the future of our education system.
Doing what’s best for our students takes all of us, and we want to hear from you! What do you see as the challenges in modern American education? Is there a district or teacher that’s doing something incredible we should know about? Share your thoughts on education reform here or email us at info@ed-rev.org.
(P.S. Looking for more information on education reform? Check out our comprehensive overview!)
References
- Walton, E. (2023, November 9). Performance Declines in Basic Mathematics and Reading Skills Since the COVID-19 Pandemic are Evident Across Many Racial/Ethnic Groups. NAEP Blog. ↩︎
- U.S. Department of Education. (2023, May). Report on the Condition of Education 2023. National Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2023/2023144.pdf ↩︎
- U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.-a). Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/essa ↩︎
- U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). No Child Left Behind Act. ED.gov. https://www2.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml ↩︎
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