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ABCs Of A Fractured Education System
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by Jerry Davich
Post-Tribune staff writer - May 19, 2008
Pop quiz time! Put your books under your desk, grab a No. 2 pencil, and no peeking at other readers. Here we go, true or false:
1.) Some states determine the number of prison beds needed in the future by third-grade test scores today.
2.) Only 25 percent of collegiate success is based on a student's ACT and SAT scores, and the other 75 percent is based on "soft skills" such as determination, hard work, values, and simple life choices.
3.) Four of every 10 Northwest Indiana residents read at only a fifth-grade level.
Here we go, multiple choice:
A.) One of every (5, 10 or 15) Lake County residents over age 25 lacks a high school diploma.
B.) The high school graduating class of 2010 is being prepared today for what type of jobs in 2011: Service sector? Computer technology? Public service? Jobs not created yet?
Why Today's Column Is A Cram-Course Lesson Plan On Our Country's Often Failing And Certainly Fractured Educational System
Here we go, essay question:
What can you do to make a difference in our educational system today, tomorrow and beyond?
OK, pencils down.
If you answered "true" to the first three questions, you're correct.
If you answered "5" to Question A, you're correct, meaning that 20 percent of Lake County adults over age 25 don't have a diploma.
If you answered "Jobs not created yet," you're correct again, illustrating just how quickly the global job market is evolving.
We'll get to the essay portion of this Monday morning pop quiz in a minute. But first, let me explain why today's column is a cram-course lesson plan on our region's (and our country's) often failing and certainly fractured educational system. Last week I attended a day-long class at Valparaiso University for students of Leadership Northwest Indiana, exploring this region's educational system, from early child development to higher education options. I showed up bright and early (the hardest part of any class). I listened to local experts, educators and executives. And I raised my hand when I had a question, just like in kindergarten.
Here's more of what I learned, in no particular order:
- Our public education calendar is still based on an agrarian society, back when little Tommy and Susie had to have summers off to help Ma and Pa farm the fields. Quick, raise your hands if your kids help plant crops for you during their summer break. Yeah, that's what I thought. Instead, they have to spend the first few weeks of the following school year relearning things from last year while their global counterparts are mastering English (and their native language, of course).
- Older teenagers today don't have the luxury of "figuring out life" while attending college, like their parents did. Why? Because it's simply too expensive. Of all the promises made by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama while they campaigned here, financial aid got a huge applause.
- Only one-third of college-bound students are adequately prepared to attend, not a surprise if you consider those statistics I noted in my pop quiz. And only 55 percent of students who enter college will actually graduate.
"Many of them will leave within the first three weeks," explained Mike Livovich, superintendent of Hanover Community School Corp., one of the guest speakers.
- Roughly 80 percent of all brain growth comes in the first three years of our lives, meaning that those early years of childhood (and parenting) are most crucial. And for each dollar spent for early childhood intervention, it costs $7 later in life, either for remediation, incarceration, or special education, for example.
So, we either pay $1 now or $7 later. Even I can do that math.
- Children raised in upper-income homes hear 30 million more words in their first three years than lower-income homes. Still, any parent can do such simple things as read to their toddlers, count Cheerios, or sing songs.
"Anyone can teach early child development," explained T.J. Holsen, director of Parents as Teachers of Lake County.
- Rural schools are not immune to such "inner city" issues like drugs, bullying and lack of parental involvement.
"We have all of those," admitted Connie Bales, principal of Three Oaks Elementary School in Lowell.
- Two poor teachers in back-to-back school years can spell doom for a student at any grade level, but especially in elementary or middle school. So keep that in mind, parents, when your kids get their class schedule this summer.
Too Few Dollars & Too Little Value Are Put Into Our Educational System
"Indiana's system is 50 years behind for parents and students," said LeVon Whittaker, president of Gary Community Improvement Association.
"Even though teachers shape young minds, (society) does not value education," explained Constance El-Amin, principal of Carrie Gosch School in East Chicago.
This is obviously true. But this writing on the wall doesn't have to vandalize our kids' future, does it? So, to answer my essay question above, there are several things you can do to erase our educational woes. For starters, you can show up in your kid's life. You can contact a teacher.
You can volunteer at a local school. You can turn everyday happenings into teachable moments, such as verbal pop quizzes during car rides, or counting sugar packets at the restaurant table. Or you can simply read to your kids whenever possible. Read Harry Potter to excite them. Read textbooks to enrich them. Or read them this column as a bedtime lullaby. Whatever, just read.
Literacy levels
Lake County's literacy rate is below the state average. Porter County's literacy rate is above the state average. Here are examples of literacy levels 1 and 2:
Level 1
Adults functioning at a level 1 literacy can:
- Sign a document
- Identify a country in a short article
- Locate the expiration date on a drivers license
- Total a bank deposit entry
They cannot:
- Locate eligibility from a table of employee benefits
- Locate an intersection on a street map
- Identify and enter background information on a Social Security card application
- Calculate the total cost of a purchase from an order form
Level 2
Adults functioning at level 2 can:
- Underline the meaning of a term in a government brochure
- Locate two features of information in a sports article
- Interpret instructions from an appliance warranty
They cannot:
- Write a letter explaining an error on a credit card bill
- Integrate multiple pieces of information from one or more sources
- Explain the difference between two types of employee benefits
Jerry Davich Post-Tribune staff writer
Connect with Jerry Davich at 648-3107 or jdavich@post-trib.com. Visit his blog at blogs.post-trib.com/davich
Jerry has co-authored a new book "Conections" visit his website:
www.connectionsbook.com
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