Five Challenges Facing Public Schools
Our Public Schools’ Success is America’s Success
Photo Credits: Classcraft
Issue #212 Education January 4, 2023
I attended public schools all the way from kindergarten through university. I taught in and consulted for public school systems during all of my educational career. I believe that America’s public school system should be available to everyone and effective enough to train our students to live and work successfully in today’s society.
The universal public school system in the United States began in the middle of the 19th century, and although it was segregated and unequal for most of its first century, it raised the literacy rate of the average American over 15 years of age to 92% for Level 1 basic literacy, meaning having the ability to read and write well enough to function in society.
Until recently most Americans realized that a strong public school system benefitted the entire country, but attitudes have changed. Along with societal changes, these viewpoints have led to more negative outcomes for our public schools and our students.
Private, religious, and charter schools have always existed, but recently many on the right have been advocating for private education run by businesses while greatly limiting or eliminating the public school systems nationwide.
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Five Challenges to Public Schools
Reduced and uneven school funding. Public schools are administered and funded at the state and local levels. Most public schools are funded by property taxes, leading to uneven funding levels depending on the tax base where the school system is located.
Class size Class size is related to the level of school funding. Ideally, students in grades K-3 learn best if the class size is limited to 15-17 students, and class sizes of no more than 30 are preferred for grades 4-12. Reducing class size requires hiring more qualified teachers, another dynamic affected by lower funding levels.
Student Health Since the 1970s, obesity has reached epic proportions in the United States. Additionally, many schools have reduced or eliminated physical education classes, replacing P.E. class time with standardized testing. Poor eating habits, lower access to fresh foods, and lack of exercise have exacerbated the rise in obesity in children and adults. Obesity also increases risk factors for other illnesses and medical conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure, which in turn lead to higher absenteeism and other academic issues.
Family Factors As a retired educator, I know all too well that the family environment is a large indicator of student achievement. Many believe that two-parent households are ideal, and I agree, but I also know that many two-parent households are difficult for the entire family, while many one-parent households can raise excellent students. Living in an area with less poverty and violence is better for the student whether the student has one or two parents living at home or otherwise positively involved in the child’s life.
Technology Up-to-date technology and always-available internet access are vital to the learning environment for today’s students. From computers and tablets to smart cell phones, the amount of access students have to technology is directly related to their level of success. Family factors and school funding levels are also related to technological access. During the Covid-19 shutdowns which led to online classes, those students who could easily access their online classes from home were far ahead of those who could not. The only technology some families have is through their cell phones with prepaid service packages, while other families have unlimited wi-fi and one or more computers and tablets in the home for children to use.
There are several more positive and negative environmental and cultural challenges and issues that impact the achievement gaps and the quality of education for our public school systems.
We will discuss other issues in future articles for our education topic, but these are five of the top issues I see presently negatively affecting our public schools and our students.
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