Forced Schooling 1879
During the 18th-century, immigrations and settlements were taking place in America. As part of the human race, the growing population in the country was challenged by various difficulties. The need for food supply for the increasing population through arts and skills was the only way to survive. The knowledge of cultivation could seem to be the future lives of the people. However, among the existed groups in America, the Indians were very difficult and impracticable to civilize even with the trending circumstance. They mostly lived in the Northern part of America with very little knowledge about their surroundings.
According to Monaghan (2005), in the late 18th century some educational reformers saw the sense to start transforming the American society through knowledge. Washington and Knox both put massive efforts in order to assimilate the Native American, who remained behind in terms of civilization. Child (2000) noted that, Washing and Knox initiated the practice of teaching the native children about the then trending current American culture. In fact in his report Monaghan (2005) realized that, this was in line with the formerly formulated Civilization Fund Act of 1819 that objectively provides financial assistance to societies that continuously worked to improve the American education. However, the efforts to educate the Native Americans started at about 16th century when Fr. Andrew established a mission in the state of Maryland to extend civilization to the Indians (ignorant race). According to Monaghan (2005), during this time the children were educated alongside the English. Moreover, this expanded when Harvard College initiated an Indian college on its branch to cater for Indian students. Gradually, more schools were created in the East to provide Indian children who were in reservation with skills and knowledge.
Arguably, religious missionaries initially installed most schools that were established for Indian children near their settlement and reservations. According to Child (2000), the missionaries ideally believed that extension of Christianity and education to the natives could help in their civilization since they had been forced into reservation due to wars. Monaghan (2005) noted that, the missionaries were determined and even started more schools with boarding facilities to accommodate the native children who stayed far from school and could not show up on a daily basis.
However, Child (2000) noted that, in 1879, the U.S. army officer Richard Pratt founded an Indian Industrial school with the believe of killing the Indian thought (uncivilized thought). Pratt more particularly believed in assimilation by force. He professed that, for you to have a civilized Indian you must totally immerse him into civilization or education. As such Monaghan (2005) revealed that, based on Pratt's policy the Native Americans could become educated or civilized if they were forced. Pratt, therefore, conducted a social experiment on Apache prisoners where they were put in uniform; their airs cut short and forced to learn English under military commands (Caldas & Bankston, 2005). In addition, Pratt added more effort to ensure the Indians learned the United States culture and English
According to Child (2000), from Pratt’s observation it was clear that the Indians could successfully be assimilated into the United States culture and language. In fact, they made profound progress that was not anticipated. Hence, Pratt introduced domestic science and vocational trainings for both the girls and boys respectively. Monaghan (2005) noted that, the vocational training was to make the boys relevant in understanding the administration skills required in most reservations at the rural areas and reflected the art of the Indian agricultural society. The children again during the holidays lived with their families where they continued to be immersed into the American culture (Black et al., 2010).
In summary, the introduction of forced schooling transformed the phase of civilization of the Indians. Most of them became learned as well as acquiring some element of American culture. In addition, the immersed civilization enabled the Indians to acquire the necessary administration as well as domestic science skills. Moreover, with the model boarding schools introduced isolated most children from their families though sponsored by most religious missionaries.
No Child left behind 2001
Education for a very long time has been viewed as a means by which individuals acquire necessary knowledge and skills for future lives. More particularly, the United States considers education as one of the core aspects that drives its economy. As such, the federal government has been in the forefront allocating the necessary resources to ensure the U.S. education remains a head in the world context to retain the sustainable economy of the country. With the allocation of resources to the field of research and development, the country has been cautious on looking for better ways of improving the education system to suit the ever-changing educational environment. The different education researches usually conducted reflect on areas related to adolescent's education, best classroom practices, and the education of children with disabilities. Ideally, these researches have a common aim of improving education as well as realizing its significance to the country in terms of economic empowerment. However, the research reports revealed various challenges to the field of education in America. This is what Maleyko and Gawlik (2011) realized to be a major reason the "no child left policy" was introduced by the federal government.
Maleyko and Gawlik (2011) realized that, the American population was constantly growing with poor access to educational facilities, disparities within the education sector and further the low standards of educational outcomes. He noted that, it was already 21st century, and most American children were being left behind in terms of education acquisition. While at the same time almost 40% of the fourth graders could not still read well as expected. With all this in an educational policy could help save the situation. The "zero child left behind" regulation or policy in this regard entirely entailed a procedural framework that could ensure the whole American population acquires effective and appropriate education (Meier & Wood, 2004). More importantly, the provision of education to the entire population regardless of the social, historical, racial and economic background
According to Darling-Hammond (2007b), the federal government acted by initiating this policy as a way of a getting a long lasting solution to the educational challenges that have faced the country for quite long. Logically, any government that wants to achieve its purpose must be responsive to the changing education environment. To ensure the "zero child left behind" was a success; the federal government involved all the education agencies to implement the program. Maleyko and Gawlik (2011) noted that, the major idea behind the program is to achieve high educational outcomes amongst vulnerable families in the United States.
Maleyko and Gawlik (2011) go further to illustrate that; the policy proved crucial in enabling parents to make informed decisions on which schools to take their children. Whether to take them to other public schools or to take them for free tutoring in case their schools needed some forms of improvement. In addition, the massive support that the policy projected to the independent charter schools. Whereas Darling-Hammond (2007b) further added that, the “no child left behind” policy was formulated to provide funds for some services for children in some private schools as well as homeschooling parents. On the other hand, Maleyko and Gawlik (2011) argued that, the policy again was focused towards providing parents with adequate information about the performance of children at their schools. This was matching the objective of making appropriate as to which school to take their sons or daughters.
In regard to evaluation and assessment of success of the policy Maleyko and Gawlik (2011) noted some positive impacts towards educational goals. Even though different states seem to administer different tests for their students, the policy successfully compelled them to provide sufficient information to the parent whom made informed decisions. Moreover, the accountability and accessibility of education tremendously increased. According Darling-Hammond (2007b), the policy has enhanced effective and fair competition amongst schools to improve the children’s performance at school.
Critically, the NCLB programmed has effective transformed American education sector. Based on its efficiency and effectiveness it has passed the message of common school progress that ensures all the American children's acquires education. It has completely changed the education environment that fulfills the societal needs. Literacy being the major agenda; the policy ideally directly aims towards achieving this. Specifically, the NCLB reflects on the varied literacy contexts under which most adolescents find themselves automatically developed. It again creates conditions and methods for building the phonemic awareness through which comprehension strategies are adopted by learners.
Race to the Top 2010
Still in the 21st century, schooling in the United States seemed to be a disaster. Even though, with the profound changes in education there is a requirement to develop various ways of improving a fulfilling education system in the country. Approaching 2010, most schools train their students or learners for jobs that do not exist in the job market. In addition, most schools have a large population that makes the jobs of teachers more difficult. In real, there seems to be many problems with our education systems (Bart, 2013). These needs prompts for the creation of more personalized learning environment that will facilitate improved learning outcomes. Based on these challenges and requirement, Bowen (2012) noted that, Race to the Top came as a historic moment to save the American education. In fact, in his words, the initiative offered huge incentives to the states in order to be willing to reform and improve learning and teaching in the school.
According to Bowen (2012), Race to the Top has ushered a crucial change in the education system in order to raise standards as well as align policies with structures to achieve the set goals of education. Suffice to say, the career orientation can is possible with the policy. More importantly, the initiative has helped to drive the education to higher standards in all states nationwide. Bowen (2012) noted that, through the improved use of data effectively, and improved teacher effectiveness tremendous results have been achieved.
More significantly, the programs have addressed four key areas of education reforms. The massive amount of about $4 billion has been channeled to 19 states that were dedicated to implementing the initiative. King (2010) noted that, among the key pillars are the development a better assessment of students under rigorous standards, adoption of better data system, support of teachers and school leaders and lastly increasing emphasis on rigorous resource interventions. While the 19 states have implemented the initiative the other 34states have just modified the policy to suit the state's education laws (Spring, 2014). According to Bowen (2012), most of the states changed their educational policies to make it more competitive as required by the Race to the Top program. For example, the Illinois state lifted a policy on several charter schools to allow the initiative apply, while Massachusetts allowed the poor performing students to switch to Charter schools, and Virginia adopted a merit pay system to boost the performance and effectiveness of classroom teachers.
Moreover, Bowen (2012) noted that, the policy is more articulate in teacher evaluations. All the states had to implement value-added modeling in the assessment of teachers. By 2012, the program had been implemented to perfection by most states. The education system had started realizing the anticipated results. According to Bowen (2012), in the early 2012 the policy was expounded by introducing a Race to the Top competition to the lower school district level. Even though, this education program is projected to consume massive resources, the general outcome of the program will be beneficial to the students. With the integrated, personalized learning for students, the students will feel motivated to utilize their full potentiality (King, 2010).
References
Bart, S. (2013). Race to the top of the world: Richard Byrd and the first flight to the North Pole. Washington, DC: Regnery History.
Black, C., Marlens, N., Hurst, J., Grossan, M., Davis, W., Norberg-Hodge, H., . . . Lost People Films. (2010). Schooling the world: The white man's last burden. Malibu, Calif.: Lost People Films.
Bowen, D. (2012). "Politics and the Scoring of Race to the Top Applications." American Enterprise Institute. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
Caldas, S. J., & Bankston, C. L. (2005). Forced to fail: The paradox of school desegregation. Westport, CT: Praeger.
Child, J. (2000). Boarding School Seasons: American Indian Families, Lincoln: U of Nebraska Press.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2007b). Race, inequality and educational accountability: The irony of "No child left behind". Race, and Education, 10(3), 245-260.
King, Jr. (2010). "Race to the Top Finalists Are Named." Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
Maleyko, G., & Gawlik, M. A. (2011). No child left behind: what we know and what we need to know. Education, (3), 600.
Meier, D., & Wood, G. H. (2004). Many children left behind: How the No Child Left Behind Act is damaging our children and our schools. Boston: Beacon Press.
Monaghan, E. J. (2005). Learning to Read and Write in Colonial America. Boston, University of Massachusetts Press.
Spring, J. H. (2014). Political agendas for education: From race to the top to saving the planet.
