School Quality
Education is the process by which knowledge and skills are passed down from one generation to the next through teaching, training, and research. Although an individual can educate themselves, most often this process occurs under the guidance of an older or more experienced person. Formal education is divided into different stages such as primary (elementary) school, secondary (high) school, and post-secondary school (college), with participation in the education system being compulsory for of-age children in most countries. However, despite the fact that education is compulsory and necessary for overall life success, it does not ensure that all students will receive the same type or quality of education. On the contrary, there are significant disparities in the qualities of the schools that children attend, and consequently in the educations they receive. These disparities play vital roles in students' level of academic achievement, as evidenced by the prevalence of achievement gaps in America.
It is well known that in America there is a significant positive correlation with socioeconomic status and the quality of school that children attend. Within the public school system, there are thousands of schools serving millions of children nationally with varying degrees of success. Schools range anywhere from incredibly efficient at producing students that consistently achieve at high levels, to nothing more than a building where students simply spend the majority of their time without ever actually honing the necessary skills to succeed. There are a number of reasons why this happens, but perhaps the most prominent reason boils down to the school's resources. In all of the best schools, the one thing that they can be guaranteed to have in common is a plethora of resources to aid their students in maximizing their academic achievement. From well-maintained facilities, up-to-date and sufficient quantities of textbooks and computers, and well-educated and caring teachers that develop rich curricula for the students to navigate through, these are the types of resources that the best schools employ not only promote academic success, but rather to ensure it. And this is precisely what differentiates the top schools from the "dropout factories".
These so-called "dropout factories" are amongst the worst schools in the nation, and have earned their nickname for the alarmingly high rate at which the schools produce high school dropouts. They are known for their dilapidated facilities, shortage of and/or outdated textbooks and computers, and ineffective teachers that are often unconcerned with whether their students learn anything. Beyond this, these schools are also known to have significantly larger class sizes than the top schools, who know that an instructor becomes even more effective when they are able to give students more individualized attention. Because of these differences in resources, and in turn the overall quality of the school and its ability to produce high-achieving students, affluent families that know the value of education for life success make sure their children attend these top schools. While it is extremely unfortunate that there are such great disparities between the qualities of schools in America, it is even more unfortunate that there is such a disproportionate representation of lower-income and minority children in our nation's worst schools.
It is well known that in America there is a significant positive correlation with socioeconomic status and the quality of school that children attend. Within the public school system, there are thousands of schools serving millions of children nationally with varying degrees of success. Schools range anywhere from incredibly efficient at producing students that consistently achieve at high levels, to nothing more than a building where students simply spend the majority of their time without ever actually honing the necessary skills to succeed. There are a number of reasons why this happens, but perhaps the most prominent reason boils down to the school's resources. In all of the best schools, the one thing that they can be guaranteed to have in common is a plethora of resources to aid their students in maximizing their academic achievement. From well-maintained facilities, up-to-date and sufficient quantities of textbooks and computers, and well-educated and caring teachers that develop rich curricula for the students to navigate through, these are the types of resources that the best schools employ not only promote academic success, but rather to ensure it. And this is precisely what differentiates the top schools from the "dropout factories".
These so-called "dropout factories" are amongst the worst schools in the nation, and have earned their nickname for the alarmingly high rate at which the schools produce high school dropouts. They are known for their dilapidated facilities, shortage of and/or outdated textbooks and computers, and ineffective teachers that are often unconcerned with whether their students learn anything. Beyond this, these schools are also known to have significantly larger class sizes than the top schools, who know that an instructor becomes even more effective when they are able to give students more individualized attention. Because of these differences in resources, and in turn the overall quality of the school and its ability to produce high-achieving students, affluent families that know the value of education for life success make sure their children attend these top schools. While it is extremely unfortunate that there are such great disparities between the qualities of schools in America, it is even more unfortunate that there is such a disproportionate representation of lower-income and minority children in our nation's worst schools.