The California’s system of accountability requires the use of test scores to evaluate students. Most of the students do not gain entry to universities and colleges because of attaining low grades. However, the main reason which makes them not to perform better is due to lack of necessary resources and opportunity that will enable them to learn the things that are tested. Hypocritically, accountability ought to be a system where both students and teachers are involved in deciding on the best method of scoring good grades. However, this does not take place in California. What the students need is the provision of necessary materials and services that make learning easier (Hall and Handley 124).
California’s student population is dominated with the Latinos, students of color and those who are English learners. Most of them are poor in comparison with other white students. This is the reason as to why the K-12 education system subjected to them contributes to inequality in accessing higher learning and securing employment. Consequently, today’s generation of students will be unproductive with limited skills in handling technical jobs. This will make the state of California to lag behind in development (Smelser 115).
Universities and colleges are facing a challenge of fees increase of about 18 percent in every year (Battimore Para. 17). In contrast, the state financing produces less funds for the University of California than the amount of money students pay. This makes the matters worse for students who have a poor background forcing them to work part time. Thus, they do not have ample time for learning. This shows the inability or unwillingness of the state of California to fund for its education system (Battimore Para. 17).
The solution for this crisis is to improve the quality of teachers. The state system should provide top-quartile teachers to schools instead of the bottom quartile teachers. The teacher’s services to students should be evaluated and those who are inept are eliminated. Performing teachers who care about students’ academic needs are retained. If there is a will, the legislature can initiate and empower district schools to embrace this method (Carr and Bradley 158).
Another aspect that requires restructuring is the governance system. There should be a body that all other organizations are answerable to. The current structure of governance in California is where everyone is in charge and therefore there is nobody who is held accountable (Carr and Bradley 158).
Works cited
Brown, David. “Education Crisis in California.” Wsws.org. World Socialist Website, 26 Jan. 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.
Carr, Paul, R., and Bradley, J., Porfilio. The Phenomenon of Obama and the Agenda for Education: Can Hope Audaciously Trump Neoliberalism? Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishers, 2011. Print.
Hall, Ellen and Richard Handley. High Schools in Crisis: What Every Parent Should Know. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 2004. Print.
Mattimore, Patrick. “California’s education crisis needs a Chinese solution.” Globaltimes.cn. Global Times, 18 Jul. 2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.
Smelser, Neil, J. Public Higher Education in California. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1974. Print.
