Once a world leader in education, the United States has slipped considerably in global rankings. According to Pew Research Center, we may be a global leader in terms of GDP and military might, but we are lacking in the areas of healthcare and education. That, alone, may not explain why your choice of elementary schools for your children matters, but it should give you an indication that there is something lacking in our schools. Where have we failed and does it begin in elementary school? A really good exposé of the state of education in the United States can be found on Business Insider if you really want an honest assessment before looking at the best school for your children.
A Glance at Current Global Rankings
Before delving into the current rankings from Pew Research Center, it’s important to understand why these are so very important. If you look at how education is ranked on usnews.com, you will see that their assessment places the United States second only to the United Kingdom. How is this possible when an unbiased and well-trusted group of academics and analysts from Pew lists the United States in 38th place cumulatively when taking all subjects into consideration. Obviously, we score better in some areas than others, but the wide discrepancy between being ranked 2nd and being ranked 38th is untenable! It should be noted here that if you are to believe one or the other, Pew’s data is much more in keeping with other global assessments so you can be fairly certain that our schools leave a lot to be desired from elementary education right up through, and including, graduate school.
On Choosing the Right School
While some parents don’t have the financial wherewithal to choose a private school over a public school, there are options available in elementary education. It’s up to you, mom and dad, to understand why elementary education is important in the first place and then go about finding a school that meets your criteria. According to the M.Ed graduate program at Merrimack College in Massachusetts, all students need a strong foundation in reading, math and science. Without that foundation, they will be unable to progress as levels become more challenging. Some schools don’t have the financial ability to hire top-notch educators and others don’t have the funding for the equipment and resources so necessary to a solid elementary education. Does your local public elementary school have at least one, if not more, educators with a master’s degree in elementary education like that offered at Merrimack? If not, keep searching!
There IS a Bottom Line Here!
What many moms and dads aren’t aware of is that most school districts allow you to transfer your child to the school of your choice. It may mean that you will need to provide transportation to and from school every day, but that option is probably the best one for you if you can’t afford private academies. Check with your county Board of Education to see what kinds of charter or magnet schools you have access to and you can find the best school your district has to offer. The bottom line here is that you do have choices, it’s just up to you to find them.