The Program For International Student Assessment - 1193 Words

In 2009 the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) report which test the performance of 15 year olds in science, math and reading came out. In that report, the United States ranked 31st in math, 23rd in science and 17th in reading. President Obama thought that the report was a call to action. This was a Sputnik 2 situation—like Sputnik 1 in the late 1950s to early 60s, when President Kennedy galvanized the nation into action to improve its science and technology education, President Obama recognized that our education system must be improved. In 1957 the Soviet Union became the first nation to launch the world’s first satellite into orbit. Prior to the launch of Sputnik, the United States was complacent in its â€Å"number†¦show more content†¦After the industrial revolution, that began to change, workers began to move off the farms to factories. There was no demand on education—workers did not need an education to work in factories. Now in the 21st century all that has changed. We are in the age of knowledge; this is the nature of technology today. Nonetheless, our educational system is not meeting the demand for educating the nation’s children. There is great inequality and access to education. In many instances the determining factor for a decent education is: where a child lives. In the United States education is controlled and funded by the states. The States use the property taxes to fund schools, therefore in states where there is high levels of poverty, property taxes tend to be low, and consequently, school funding is low. This causes inequality of access to education. This problem of a good education persist even at tertiary levels of our education system. Many people cannot afford to go to a good college because of the exorbitant cost of attending and the levels of debt that they would incur. Many of those who do go, are left with huge debts for decades—this is unsustainable. Purpose of an Education What is the purpose of getting an education? The purpose of an education is to

Difference between Issues and Problems Free Essays

Some business managers mistakenly use the term â€Å"issue† and â€Å"problem† interchangeably; however, doing so may complicate the daily decision making processes by lumping all issues and problems together and possibly make a bad situation worse. Separating issues from problems helps to prevent smaller issues from becoming problems. This business practice is so important that there is an entire management discipline predictably called, â€Å"issue management† (IM). We will write a custom essay sample on Difference between Issues and Problems or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Dow Jones says that â€Å"successful issue management depends on addressing concerns before they become full blown problems. 1Therefore, it is deduced that issues are smaller, less threatening and require minimal effort to find resolution – but left unchecked could expose the organization to greater risk. There is an analogy to help put this concept into proper perspective – â€Å"forgetting your lunch is an issue, but losing your job is a problem. 2 Therefore, the difference between an Issue and a problem can be explained this way, â€Å"Problems are solved. Issues need to be resolved†¦. To solve is to explain and to resolve is to separate a thing into its component parts or elements, then determine a course of action. † How to cite Difference between Issues and Problems, Essay examples

Does God Really Need to Go to School free essay sample

A discussion on the division between church and state over the role of the American government in the religious convictions of its people, and vice versa. The following paper examines the way in which the American government mandates that children will attend school, that there will be teachers, and there will be education. This paper asserts that if the latter is mandatory, then the government must decide what religious value or training will be mandatory. The debate explores how on the one side many have suggested that no religion be instituted, whereas on the other side just as many say that no religion is the same thing as preaching the religion of atheism or agnosticism. The writer examines how many Christians want a more exclusively Christian environment, while many atheists or agnostics want to decrease the level of religious power invested in school systems. Both sides have problems with their issues, and may be extremists in theory, in actions, and in rhetoric. We will write a custom essay sample on Does God Really Need to Go to School? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This paper suggests a solution to this everlasting debate. As the American government has progressed from a withdrawn state where it controlled little more than a militia and trade treaties to being an authoritarian structure which oversees everything from highway speeds to public education, the basis for change in its relationship to religion was firmly sown. A government which does not regulate public schools, or zoning laws, has in every field a very different role from one which does, but this is particularly important in the role of religious and ethical convictions. The difference between being tax-exempt and not tax-exempt is tremendous. The difference between having a building license or not changes the entire scope of a ministry. Perhaps most important, though, is the increased need for the government to determine what schools will teach about religion, if they teach anything at all