News-Record.com

Find here a report among a long list of reports advocating for the reconstitution of our public education system. The New Commission on Skills of the American Workforce makes several proposals to help schools better prepare students for the global economy, including making it easier for adults with families and full-time jobs to go back to school, provide high-quality, universal early childhood education and recruit from the top third of high school graduates going to college into the teaching profession.

The need to reform the public education system is clear, but the commission makes the following assumptions:
* The point of the school system is to help Americans compete against other countries and have a higher standard of living (standard of living wasn't really defined).
* The industrial model we should use is one of a pyramid or hierarchy (see page 6 of the executive report).
* Teachers should look at their profession as a career ladder.

The question is do we Americans want to make the sacrifices to reach these goals. Sure, many a college grad dreams of a high-paying career with benefits and a sizeable retirement. But some of those same people get bored and burned out and sick from the long work hours and decide they would rather work part-time for less money. On the other hand, others use their creative skills to improve the lives of many, such as finding cures for diseases or technology that makes vehicles more efficient.

Do you agree with the proposals mentioned in the report and do you think the ends we are striving for will be worth the investment?

Update: Read comments from other bloggers and organizations on this study: The American Federation of Teachers, Andrew Coulson of the Cato Institute and Eduwonk.