As we begin 2010, we could all write down a laundry list of many areas in which we are concerned about. A few weeks ago I wrote that one of the scariest long-term problems that we face in this country is the lack of good jobs for Americans. I sincerely believe that because we have sent and continue to send good jobs to other countries that we are undermining the future of our own country. Another area in which I see dire consequences is in education.
There are many intelligent, hardworking people in public education, but the system is failing to achieve the results the United States needs to continue to be a world-leading nation into the future. The United States once had one of the most highly educated citizenries in the world. Now, we continue to be passed up by countries that we would never have envisioned being able to surpass us. I”ve seen a list that says the United States is now number seven and one that says we are only the 10th most educated country in the world. South Korea, Canada, Finland and Japan are ahead of us.
One of the most pressing problems for our public education system is keeping youngsters in school so that they will graduate from high school. In 2007 more than 6 million U.S. students between the ages of 16 and 24 dropped out of high school. That total equated to 16 percent of all high school students for that year. I don”t think it has gotten any better.
A troubling fact about the percentage of dropouts is that there is a real race issue to deal with. The overall dropout rate for white students was at 12.2 percent. But, it went up to 21 percent for blacks and 27.5 percent for Latinos. The fastest growing population segment in America is Latino.
Another unsettling matter, but not surprising, because of the state population, is that California had the most dropouts in the country. The good news there, if you want to put it that way, is that our state had a 14.4 percent dropout rate, which was less than the national rate of 16 percent. Georgia had the highest total dropout rate among all the states. It was at 22.1 percent.
I remember from my school days being told that if I graduated from high school I would make more money each year for the rest of my life and if I would graduate from college the income level would go even higher. Well, it was true then and it is still true today. A 2005 study indicated that high school graduates annually earn nearly $10,000 more per year than high school dropouts.
Another sad fact about dropouts is the ugly truth that high school dropouts make up a huge percentage of the prison population, especially death row inmates.
Now, with the economic crisis, almost every state has made cuts in per-pupil spending on public education. Here in California we have been facing teacher and program cuts at a time when the education system is already under-producing. We are only setting ourselves up for greater failure.
I suppose if we knew all the answers to this problem, we”d put an end to the crisis. I don”t think we have all the answers, though. I believe that Dave Matthews touched on the crux of the matter in a song on his latest album called “Funny the way it is.” In one verse he sings, “Funny the way it is, if you think about it, one kid walks 10 miles to school, another is dropping out.”
A primary problem is motivation. Some will do whatever it takes to get an education, while others will not make the attempt. In the United States, the number of children who are not motivated toward getting an education is growing, and that is frightening.
Gary Dickson is the publisher and editor of the Record-Bee. Contact him at gdickson@record-bee.com or 263-5636, ext. 24.
