Cleaveland: Our two-tiered school system: Part 2

photo Dr. Clif Cleaveland

Imagine a 5-year-old boy from a single-parent home in public housing. He has no prior exposure to books and no one has had time or skills to read to him. How much is it worth to him and to society to provide him an education: $10,000, $100,000, $1 million?

Left under-educated, his prospects for a meaningful future are quite limited. If he cannot read competently, he will find a tough job market with little chance for advancement. Unemployed, he may be drawn into gangs or illicit activities that give him some income but at the risk of violent death or incarceration. Absent literacy acquired at an early age, the deck of opportunity is stacked against him.

But what if he and every other child of economically or socially limited backgrounds in our county had access to well-funded, uniformly excellent public schools? How much would that cost? And how much value would society receive in return?

To begin, needs must be prioritized given the limited funding no available to education.

Priority one

* Literacy: The competency to read, to comprehend, and to speak English must be addressed aggressively from kindergarten forward. Literacy is the necessary key to unlock each subsequent academic door. Every school must have books, libraries and technologic resources sufficient to meet uniform standards for comprehending written and spoken language. Computers are not a luxury for students but necessary tools for the learning process. Some schools may need literacy coaches or tutors to assist children with no prior experience with books. If acquisition of literacy is delayed, a child may never catch up with his peers. No school should have to beg or seek charitable grants for fundamental needs.

* Numeracy: The ability to understand and to apply mathematics must be acquired early. Some schools have found math coaches to be invaluable resources for upgrading math teaching. Each math course builds upon those that precede it. A stumble in first grade makes later math comprehension difficult, if not impossible.

Priority two

Staff must be attuned to the needs of students. Some schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods may need teachers skilled in special education. These schools may need an on-site social worker to address basic needs such as nutrition, clothing and housing. Psychological evaluation and counseling must be available for all students at the same high level.

Priority three

Environment matters. Facilities must be well-maintained. Carpets and flooring must be intact, painting up-to-date and furnishings renewed. Each school must exemplify a clean, well-lighted, safe place in which to learn.

Science instruction will depend upon access to labs that are fully equipped and under the direction of teachers with backgrounds appropriate to present the material at hand. Gyms and playgrounds must be updated with equipment and instruction appropriate for the ages and abilities of all students.

Once these priorities are met, attention can turn to the provision of music, art, theater and other enrichments to the curriculum. These electives should be renamed "essentials" because of their value in the process of becoming a competent adult.

Attention should be paid to the recruitment of business and industry to assume the role of surrogate Parent Teacher Associations for those schools with limited or no options for neighborhood support. These organizations provide substantial support for improved facilities, additional programs and extra staff for schools in economically secure neighborhoods. Similar "extras" would benefit deprived schools.

These proposed reforms are not cheap. The choice lies between educating a child for a productive life or building more prisons, reformatories and drug-treatment centers. Add to this the toll that rising violence and poverty will impose upon society in general.

Politicians who advocate slashing taxes must offer credible alternatives to fund education. Vague generalities or reference to future trickle-down benefits will not suffice.

We and the school board whom we elect must dare to dream big and to promote a vision of excellent education for all students in our public schools. Making do with chronically limited resources is simply not good enough.

Contact Clif Cleaveland at cleaveland1000@comcast.net.

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