Quality and Equity in Public Education

Scripture

Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12 (NIV)

Focus Statement

Although public education in the United States is available to most school-age children,

the number of mandatory school years, laws setting mandatory school attendance, and

minimum and maximum age limits for required free education vary according to state

and local laws. Moreover, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

competency varies greatly by state and local school systems. The U.S. is losing ground

to other industrialized nations as shown by students’ declining scores on tests and lack

of mastery of essential skills. Further, national standards are moving toward adding the

Arts and Reading & Writing skills, which introduces the new acronym STREAM with

more skills to be mastered.

To meet the growing academic needs of students in U.S. public schools, improving the

quality of curriculum and students’ academic readiness in all public schools is crucial.

This applies to all students eligible for mandatory education, regardless of their race,

ethnicity, background, location, or economic level. The following action items promote

consistency in US education.

Action Items

To promote better public education:

● Lobby for local and state governments to fund programs such as Head Start to

provide free nourishing breakfasts and lunches for all public-school children and

for free public daycare, pre-school, and after-school tutoring for all public-school children.

● Advocate for high speed (broadband) internet in all geographic areas to support

online learning and expand educational opportunities.

● Advocate for state legislators to support scholarships and teaching grants for

outstanding college students in state teacher education programs.

● Support competitive salaries, professional development, and teacher resources

to retain skilled educators as classroom teachers.

● Ensure provision of current computer technology and education (equipment and

instruction) in all local public schools, integrating current technology with

classroom instruction and teaching digital literacy skills to students and their

teachers to adapt to the digital age.

● Train and volunteer as a classroom aide or tutor for Science, Technology,

Reading and Writing, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STREAM) instruction

in local public schools.

● Research and attend PTA/PTO meetings in local elementary, middle, and

secondary schools to advocate for free STREAM tutoring for students needing

further STREAM instruction than provided in the classroom.

Resources:

U. S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.

At A Glance, https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/annualreports/topical-studies/locale/ataglance.

The Nation’s Report Card, https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/highlights/ltt/2023/.

State Education Practices-Table 5.1,

https://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/tab5_1.asp.

State Education Practices-Table 7.1,

https://nces.ed.gov/programs/statereform/tab7_1.asp.

Center for Excellence in Education 2023 Index of Excellence in STEM Education,

https://www.cee.org/newsevents/press-releases/index-excellence-stem-

education-compares-us-students-global-competition-0.

Education World, https://www.educationworld.com/standards.

Office of Head Start. Head Start Services, www.acf.hhs.gov/ohs/about/head-start.

National PTA, www.pta.org.