Improvethequalityofeducationforallstudents.pdf

Improve the quality of education for all students An educated workforce has long been at the heart of American economic success. The American public school system was one of the first to focus on providing a high school education to all children and programs such as the G.I. Bill and Pell Grants have helped expand access to college. These policies helped build the great- est middle class the world has ever seen. The United States, however, is no longer a world FIGURE 5 Share of the world’s college graduates leader in terms of education, as our high school students score poorly compared to other coun- Comparing the United States, China and India, 2000 to 2020 tries and our college graduation lead has evapo- 2000 rated. Unlike many other advanced economies, 25% 23.8 2010 2020* the United States does not offer universal pre- 20.6 20% school. This gap in education means that many 17.8 young children do not have access to organized 15% 13.4 learning activities before age 4, although 85 per- 11.1 cent of core brain development happens before 10% 9 7.7 this age.1 Our K-12 education system is also 6.5 7.1 failing students due to inequitable funding and 5% teachers who lack support and adequate training while students have too little time in the class- 0 United States China India room. Likewise, our higher education is in need of reform as the price of tuition continues to rise, Source: Donna Cooper, Adam Hersh, and Ann O’Leary, “The Competition that Really Matters: