Public Schools Are The Building Blocks Of Our Societies. They Can Be C

Public schools are the building blocks of our societies. They can be considered our foundational instruments. Although these institutes of learning play such an important role, they are unable to provide the best they can, due to their numerous flaws. It is evident that these problems exist by the number of school dropouts, falling test scores, and increased number of reported crimes. These problems all intermingle, with one another. Some can even be direct causes of each other. In other words, by making the necessary adjustments, for at least one of the problems, every problem could benefit. With the help of some basic tactics and methods, reform of public schools is possible. A basic example of this can be seen dealing with the problem of overcrowded schools. When there are too many students in a class, everyone suffers. Teachers have a hard enough time, trying to keep an average size class focused. Students are also affected, because teachers are not able to spend enough time with them individually. The overcrowding is not only a direct effect of the world's growing population, but is also caused by the lack of federal spending. To build a new school, expenses would be incurred for the construction, engineering, and furnishing of the school. To boot, infrastructure reconstruction, such as streets, sewers, and utilities, can be costly. A solution to all this is for schools to be open all year. Year-round-education (YRE) is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to deal with the insufficient classroom space. A school on a year-round calendar, has students in class for approximately 242 days, each year, (Brekke, 1992). In this type of schooling, instead of having on long vacation, students would have several smaller breaks. YRE is the best way to educate children, without having to cut corners. Obviously, it costs more to keep a school open for 242 days, rather than 180. All faculty, custodians, nurses, and counselors, must be on-hand, for the whole year. In actuality, it is less expensive to keep a school open, for the whole year. When you look at the per-pupil-cost, there are great savings (Brekke, 1992). Besides being cost-effective, there are multiple advantages in having kids attending school all year. Children will not forget so much information, over short breaks, compared to what they would forget over long vacations. Students would also be able to advance quicker, because teachers would not have to waste time reviewing. This is especially true, for those students whom English is a second language. A majority of the year-round schools have students attending during different periods of the year. Three groups of children would be in school, while one group would be on vacation ( ). This would allow for even more students to attend the same school. A school that would normally hold 1000 pupils would now be able to house 1300. The creation of charter schools, would be the next best idea, to handle overcrowding. During the 1960's, educators began looking for new ways to deal with the problem of overcrowded schools. Mostly in-part to court-ordered desegregation laws, school systems began opening up specialty schools. Whether a child was learning disabled or was considered at-risk, schools to help their particular needs emerged. By 1988, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) endorsed the charter concept (Federal, 1997). Charter schools are extremely similar to public schools. These schools are free to the public. There is no discrimination in the selection process. All local, state, and federal laws must be followed. The same standardized tests, which are given to public school students, are given to charter school students. There are also various key concepts missing from public school education that are found in charter schools. One of the key concepts is charter schools' accountability. Charter schools have to show results. If only a small percentage of students graduate, a charter school could faced being closed. These schools have their charters renewed, every few years. This is a great incentive to provide the best education possible. Choice and flexibility are key factors, which make charter schools attractive. School officials can hire quality faculty members, maintain high academic standards, and allow parent involvement, because of the school's freedom. This flexibility allows schools to be designed for each community's specific needs.