In recent testing, American students just cant keep up with those of other countries. Our student's scores hardly put them at the half way mark when stacked up against the scores of other children from around the world.
Â
Test results dubbed a “wake-up call†to America.
Â
American students scored 14th of the 34 countries assessed in reading. If you think that's bad, the scores only get worse from here on out. American students ranked only 17th in science testing, and a pathetic 25th in the math category. American students are falling behind on a global level. Nations such as South Korea, China, Finland and Canada, all out shined U.S. Students in the most recent PISA exam.
Â
The PISA exam, or Programme for International Student Assessment, is considered to be the most comprehensive test for determining student aptitudes worldwide. 470,000 students from 65 countries ranging from the poorest third world nations, to the world's superpowers took part in the exam.
Â
President Obama wants to make changes to improve our student's scores.
Â
President Obama was unimpressed with the PISA scores, and sees this as an opportunity to invest in our future. After seeing these numbers, he set in motion a plan to raise the nations college graduation rate to the number one spot in the world by 2020. In 1995 the U.S. held the position of 2ndhighest college graduation rate. However, by 2008 we had slipped to the 13thspot on the list. "We live in a globally competitive knowledge based economy, and our children today are at a competitive disadvantage with children from other countries,†said U.S. Education Secretary, Arne Duncan.
Â
Improving our education system could pay off in big ways financially.
Â
Improving our education system will not only raise our ranking among our international peers, but it could have some serious financial bonuses as well. It is estimated that an average PISA score 25 points higher over the next 20 years would yield a return of nearly $41 trillion in the U.S. Economy over the lifetime of the next generation born this year.
Â
With all the talk of a changing global market, and how knowledge based jobs are the thing of the future, one would think that education would be our highest priority. That obviously is not the case at this time. Without changes to our education system, the U.S. could be looking forward to a grim future.
recommend
Facebook
Twitter
bookmark 
print
Comments: 4
ONCE upon a time, high school as not expected to educate every kid. Now it is expected and clearly it is not working. Lots of dropouts. No child left behind? Plenty left behind, especially the ones whose parents really do not get the whole education thing.