Test scores are lower than ever. Achievement is waning. Parents are perturbed by the gross neglect of their children’s educational needs. Violence is on the rise in our schools, and our young students have mentally checked out altogether. Absenteeism is covered-up like a strategically hidden crime. These are just a few of the symptoms of how much our schools have declined during our national health alarm. The past two years have dreadfully left most kids behind, as our state government did not do a satisfactory job handling our children’s education during school closures, many of which were unnecessary.
Of the $189 billion given in ESSER funding, Connecticut received $1.6 billion, much of which was designated for education, getting our schools back to work. Of those funds, it is vague on how much was allocated to directly and positively impact public school students. Despite the decrease in staff and students, many politicians are still in gross denial about the drastic effects school shutdowns and hybrid models have caused. While for many years, failing schools were relegated to the inner cities, in 2022, this narrative has shifted to nearly every town and city in the state.
Public Education in A Crisis
Our education system is now facing a crisis of epic proportions. Every area of education is affected. Every position on the organizational flowchart is being challenged, from the superintendents of school, to the classroom teachers, to the principals, grounds and management, and even school boards. More than eighty percent of our students are failing, and others are on the brink of failing in math, science, and language arts. While the problem is ubiquitously felt around the state, racial and socioeconomic gaps in achievement will broaden as children in underserved areas do not have equal access to computers and high-speed internet service.
Our children need teachers, one-on-one instruction, and classroom experience with their fellow students. If this doesn’t happen soon, what we know of our school system will become a historical tale of ‘The day when children read and learned.” If we fail to get our schools back to work and do that now, the crisis we’ve already experienced will worsen significantly. The dropout rate in high schools is bound to increase. Absenteeism will become commonplace even within lower grades. Violence will grow in our schools because of listlessness and boredom. Teachers will become fearful of going to work. The system will implode.
My Choice is School Choice
While school choice is no panacea, it does, however, serve as a viable and perhaps the most reasonable option for advancing our children. I am a one-hundred percent advocate of school choice. I believe that parents, not the government, should decide where their children are educated and how. Most parents have the capacity to determine what they feel is best for their child. Giving parents choices helps to empower children to become whatever they dream of in life. While school choice is the best option, there are still some flaws in how school choice is presented.
The hand that we’ve been dealt is not a choice at all. For example, if I played the lottery, it’d be my choice to give the cashier two bucks and get back a million dollars in return. But that’s not how it works. I buy a lottery ticket and get put into a pool of millions of ticket buyers, and I hope and pray that I’m the one chosen for the big win. That’s pretty much how school choice operates. It’s not a choice; it’s a lottery disguised as a choice. Far too often, the children who would benefit most from better schools are stepped over by children whose parents already live in desirable school districts.
Another caveat is that whatever money that is allocated for your child should follow that child to whatever school the parents choose. The money should follow the child, whether the school is a charter school, parochial or preparatory school, a Christian School or Hebrew Academy, or even homeschooling. To get our schools back to work, we have to employ many methods, not solely relying on the public school system to be the answer.
It’s Time to Catch Up
We must agree on one thing, that it’s time to catch our children up. And doing that will require transparency and honesty, particularly regarding where our children are scholastically and where they should be. Our futures depend on this. I’d be remised if I didn’t mention children with special needs, who have been arguably the most negatively affected during the past two years. Children with learning and attention issues, Autism, and speech and language disorders need special attention and singular programming and curriculum to help get them current and stay on course.
The families of children with special needs too need a tremendous amount of support as those families have suffered greatly during the past two years without help. It’s time that we ask tough questions. How have school closures and a hybrid model adversely impacted the delivery of special education to the students? Why has our state government continued to ignore the needs of the students? What can we do now to initiate the most meaningful change and get our children learning again? While there is no one solution, there are things we can do now.
We can aggressively move toward measures to ensure that young learners are on a fast track to recovery. We can employ high-octane tutors to help our students grow in targeted areas where they’ve lost ground. We can work with non-profit supplemental educational institutions that specialize in helping children succeed against the odds. Finally, we can start the crucial conversations to help us get our schools and staff back to work, establishing measures to prevent this regression from ever happening again.
55 Comments
I agree with the article contents about getting our schools back to work with one bit of hesitation.
Would you elucidate on the following statement from that article, as to what you view as the underserved areas relative to computers and internet services, especially in light of the fact that wireless service is so pervasive?
“While the problem is ubiquitously felt around the state, racial and socioeconomic gaps in achievement will broaden as children in underserved areas do not have equal access to computers and high-speed internet service.”
Thanks
Id like to thank you for the efforts youve put in writing this blog. I am hoping to check out the same high-grade content by you later on as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own, personal website now 😉
Hey There. I found your web site applying msn. That could be a really well composed posting. I’ll you’ll want to bookmark it and return to examine additional of one’s beneficial details. Many thanks for your post. I will definitely return.
Hi lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, Your posts are always thought-provoking and inspiring.
To the lewisforgovernor.com owner, Your posts are always well-balanced and objective.
Hi lewisforgovernor.com owner, Your posts are always well-referenced and credible.
Dear lewisforgovernor.com admin, Keep up the great work!
Hi lewisforgovernor.com administrator, Excellent work!
Hi lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, You always provide helpful information.
Dear lewisforgovernor.com owner, Great job!
Hi lewisforgovernor.com owner, Your posts are always informative.
Dear lewisforgovernor.com administrator, Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
To the lewisforgovernor.com admin, Well done!
To the lewisforgovernor.com admin, Keep up the good work!
Hello lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, Your posts are always well thought out.
Dear lewisforgovernor.com administrator, You always provide great examples and real-world applications.
To the lewisforgovernor.com owner, Your posts are always well-referenced and credible.
Hello lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, Thanks for the well-researched and well-written post!
Hello lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, You always provide clear explanations and step-by-step instructions.
Hello lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, Your posts are always well-supported by research and data.
Dear lewisforgovernor.com admin, Your posts are always well organized and easy to understand.
Hello lewisforgovernor.com administrator, You always provide in-depth analysis and understanding.
Hello lewisforgovernor.com admin, You always provide great examples and case studies.
Hi lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, You always provide great examples and real-world applications.
Hello lewisforgovernor.com administrator, Your posts are always well-supported by facts and figures.
To the lewisforgovernor.com admin, Keep up the great work!
To the lewisforgovernor.com owner, You always provide useful links and resources.
Hello lewisforgovernor.com owner, Keep up the good work, admin!
To the lewisforgovernor.com admin, You always provide great resources and references.
Hi lewisforgovernor.com administrator, You always provide key takeaways and summaries.
Dear lewisforgovernor.com admin, Your posts are always well-supported by facts and figures.
Dear lewisforgovernor.com administrator, Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
To the lewisforgovernor.com admin, Your posts are always insightful and valuable.
Hi lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, Good work!
To the lewisforgovernor.com administrator, Thanks for the well-written and informative post!
Hello lewisforgovernor.com admin, Your posts are always well-timed and relevant.
To the lewisforgovernor.com admin, You always provide clear explanations and step-by-step instructions.
To the lewisforgovernor.com administrator, You always provide practical solutions and recommendations.
Hello lewisforgovernor.com owner, Thanks for the well written post!
Dear lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, Your posts are always a great source of information.
To the lewisforgovernor.com administrator, Your posts are always well-formatted and easy to read.
Hello lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, Nice post!
To the lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, Your posts are always well-formatted and easy to read.
To the lewisforgovernor.com admin, Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
To the lewisforgovernor.com owner, You always provide great examples and case studies.
Dear lewisforgovernor.com administrator, Your posts are always informative and well-explained.
Hello lewisforgovernor.com admin, Great job!
To the lewisforgovernor.com administrator, Your posts are always well-structured and logical.
Dear lewisforgovernor.com administrator, Your posts are always well-supported by research and data.
Hi lewisforgovernor.com administrator, Thanks for the well-organized and comprehensive post!
Hello lewisforgovernor.com admin, Thanks for the well-researched and well-written post!
To the lewisforgovernor.com owner, Your posts are always well written.
Hello lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, Thanks for the well-researched post!
Dear lewisforgovernor.com admin, Your posts are always a great source of knowledge.
Hi lewisforgovernor.com webmaster, Thanks for the well-organized post!