Educational reform and closing the gap
After an examination of the implications of the achievement gap, it becomes very apparent why closing it is one of the biggest issues not only for the public-education system, but for American society as a whole. It has serious effects on both individual life outcomes as well as on the country's overall economy, and because of it there is a critical need to reform the education system so as to close these gaps. Educational reformers and policy makers alike have tried to bring about change in a number of ways, such as through the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, or the recent turn to charter schools as a "better" alternative to public schools. However, there are setbacks to charter schools, such as the fact that they are very small and there is generally a raffle-based admission process. Also, by simply turning to alternatives to public schools, legitimate progress is not made in the way of reforming the system. I personally believe that a number of things need to be done in order to legitimately revitalize the public school system into one that is more equitable for all students, regardless of race or socioeconomic background. First, I think that there should be a more comprehensive process for testing the ability of a teacher before they are employed, as well as for receiving tenure. Additionally, I think that there needs to be a severe increase in funding for schools in low-income areas so as to enable them to get the resources necessary for providing students with a quality education, and I think that any schools with significantly dilapidated buildings should be renovated immediately. I also think that there should be community centers built in these low-income communities with after-school programs in order to provide a safe environment for the children that fosters learning and development. These are only a few of the things that I think are necessary in order to make a better educational system and help cut into the achievement gap.