A Perfect Storm

I am concerned that we have a perfect storm ravaging our children. What is a perfect storm—three components so powerful separately that when they merge, complete destruction is the final consequence.

What is America’s perfect storm–rampant problems in a decaying society, the decline of family unit, and now an ineffective educational system that cannot possibly compensate for the other two dilemmas.

According to the Alliance of Education, “As globalization has progressed, American educational progress has stagnated. The United States’ high school graduation rate ranks near the bottom among developed nations belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). And on virtually every international assessment of academic proficiency, American secondary school students’ performance varies from mediocre to poor. Given that human capital is a prerequisite for success in the global economy, U.S. economic competitiveness is unsustainable with poorly prepared students feeding into the workforce.”

The PISA is a triennial assessment that the OECD administers to students in its member countries and the world’s most comprehensive and rigorous comparison of international student achievement. The 2006 results indicate that the United States ranked 15th of 29 OECD countries in reading literacy, 21st of 30 in scientific literacy, 25th of 30 in mathematics literacy, and 24th of 29 countries in problem solving.

Our kids are in trouble and not just in our poorer regions. Who would have imagined that the school system in an affluent area in which I teach will be bankrupt in two years unless it fires its teachers and coaches, creates classes of 30 students at least, curtails fine arts programs, and minimizes services to children and parents.

Our governor in Texas has taken pride in the fact that, unlike other states, we are fiscally well off, but has it been at the expense of our educational system?

According to State Comptroller, Susan Coombs, the following are accurate statistics about our state:

•Texas is #49 in verbal SAT scores in the nation (493) and #46 in average math SAT scores (502).
•Texas is #36 in the nation in high school graduation rates (68%).
•Texas is #33 in the nation in teacher salaries. Teacher salaries in Texas are not keeping pace with the national average.

The question of whether Texas legislators should take pride in these statistics begs to be asked.

When are we going to recognize that if we do not adequately prepare our children, we are destined to failure nationally, and if we don’t prepare them to compete globally, that America will fail?

The education alliance says that “Over the past thirty years, the modern workplace has radically changed, and the demands on those making the transition from the classroom to the workforce continue to rise. Students from Birmingham and Boston no longer compete against each other for jobs; instead, their rivals are well-educated students from Sydney and Singapore.”

How do we stop this perfect storm? As a parent of adult children and a 20 year educator, I am finally at a loss for ideas. I do know that parents must become the advocates for their children—“tiger moms” who require the most from themselves and their children and who require the same from the representatives who make the laws that impact their children. We must all be accountable for saving our children and our country.