Why Americas Educational System is Failing - 1123 Words

The United States of America has placed low on the educational ladder throughout the years. The cause of such a low ranking is due to such heavy emphasis on standardized testing and not individual student achievement. Although the United States uses standardized testing as a crutch, it is not an effective measure of a student’s ability, a teacher’s competency, or a school’s proficiency. Cheating can be a common routine in a classroom—from copying work on homework to copying answers on a test. â€Å"Cheating by teachers and administrators on standardized tests is rare, and not a reason to stop testing Americas children† (Standardized Tests). This statement is proved false by the fact that thirty-seven states have been caught cheating by†¦show more content†¦By holding back accelerated students, schools are capable of outputting higher scores, while lower-scoring students are â€Å"routinely exempted from testing, or for one reason or an other, are missing a test score† (Corcoran). Standardized testing has become so important that schools are willing to hinder students that could easily advance by basically replacing those who will undoubtedly score low with someone who is ready to move on to higher studies. The nations that outperform the United States—Finland, Shanghai-China, South Korea—do not place such heavy emphasis on standardized testing. â€Å"In the last few decades, U.S. and Finnish education policies have appeared to be moving in opposite directions. While U.S. public schools moved to standardized testing, Finnish schools eschewed nationwide tests to evaluate teachers, students or schools, instead relying on sample-based testing and school principals to identify potential problems† (Tung). Finnish schools are the highest ranked in the world, having ranked â€Å"sixth in math, second in science and third in reading† (Tung) while â€Å"U.S. students ranked 30th, 23rd and 17th, respectively† (Tung). Finland’s education system differs greatlyShow MoreRelatedEssay on America’s Children Deserve Charter Schools1544 Words   |  7 PagesAmerica’s education is failing, and serious reform is needed. The topic of education has been in the forefront over the last few decades. Many, including politicians have attempted to tackle what seemed to be a hopeless situation. With all the corruption and bureaucracy within the system, it is unlikely that this problem will be resolved anytime soon. However, there is hope amidst all this, and that is charter schools. Charter schools impact education by having passionate teachers who truly careRead More Public Education Essay1454 Words   |  6 Pagesissues we face as a nation. Once pronouncing the United States as a â€Å"nation at risk†, the educational institution began to implement one reform strategy after another. 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