Increased Interest in School Rankings
It’s difficult to remember a time when the public school system in this country was under greater scrutiny. Newsweek is running features on the subject, there are a plethora of sites online that cater to a growing demand for comprehensive school rankings, and that most vociferous of public speech mechanisms, the blogosphere, has enough to say on the subject of listing schools based on rankings. Now, the richest man in the world has stepped into the picture. In the summer of 2006, Bill Gates and his wife Melinda announced the education program goals of their charitable foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The announcement of the Gates’ proposed education goals couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time. The public education system in the country is under growing pressure to deliver amid increasing concerns that the country’s schools are churning out semi-literate youngsters who might be ill equipped to handle college level jobs in the real world. Proponents of school rankings insist that these listings give high school authorities a picture of where their schools stand overall. These schools, they argue, can thus be motivated to better their schools rankings. As well intentioned as the idea behind school rankings may be, there is enough to indicate that such listings may not always have the desired results on the quality of education offered at those schools that are placed lower in the rankings.
Effects of Low School rankings on Parents
All parents want to give their children the best possible education, regardless of their socio-economic status or which part of town they live in. That’s a given. It’s a different scenario when parents can afford to live in any part of town they choose, and have access to any number of schools for their children. But for parents who find that their children’s schools have been placed low on school rankings, it can be demoralizing to say the least. Such parents might find it difficult to motivate their children enough.
Effects of Low School Rankings on Teachers
A public school teacher’s job is an unthankful one, and for teachers in the low school rankings areas it makes a tough job even harder. And it’s really difficult to teach in a poorly funded and low-income school. Low school rankings can mean that funding for the school is considerably lowered, and this cuts into any programs that the school may have planned. Although there are some instances when low school rankings will qualify a school for extra help.
Effects of Low School Rankings on Students
Keeping dropout levels low in poor areas is tough enough without the added stigma of attending a “sub par” school. Does that mean we should eliminate school rankings to save student’s feelings? Of course not. But parents and administrators need to be aware of the both the benefits and pitfalls of the school ranking system.
By: Patricia Hawke
Posts Tagged ‘Program Goals’
Online Education – Self-Assessment
November 22nd, 2009When considering taking online learning courses, it is a good idea to complete a self-assessment of your goals, current skill set, and specifically what knowledge you want to acquire. Once you have completed your self-assessment, you can move to Course Selection.. So where do you start? At the beginning of course and this and the next series of articles will take you through the self-assessment process, course selection and the other things you should think about when developing your online Education program.
Goals and Objectives
While you may not need to conduct a self-assessment or Course Selection. for one course, you should think about goals if you are considering taking a broad ranging subject (e.g., Personal Development, Personal Desktop Computing, Starting a Small Business, Web Design, IT Certification). You should have both short and long term goals because with any long term endeavor, the short term goals keep you motivated to reaching you long term objective. For example, you are considering starting a new business, setting up a time line for completing the first few courses (e.g., Managing your Business, Raising Financing) and a longer term goal (e.g., Start the business by xx/xx/xxxx). Well arranged goals and objectives will not only motivate you but keep you on track and increase your overall chances for success.
Current Skills
Assessing your current skills are important to both developing your goals and objectives and ultimately, Course Selection.. Being honest with your self is also important. First, identify, your advanced skills set. While there is probably more you can learn, you can rely on your current skills in reaching you ultimate objective. For example, in starting a new business, if you have good marketing skills, you would not initially take any advertising or marketing courses. You should focus on the skills you need which you have either a basic knowledge that you will need to know more about to reach your objective. On a very basic level you may need to select the type of business or need to develop your skills in office management or managing a business generally. Now re-review your goals and objective to make sure both are in sync.
Budget
While online education is very economical, you should estimate the cost of your Course Selections. and the time frame you are expecting to take them. Does the cost meet the amount you expected to invest? If not, consider reducing your list or extending your time line for completion. Do not reduce your list to a point where you are not acquiring enough skills to meet your objective.
By: Edward F. Todd, Jr., CPCU, ARM, AIC, MBA
