Education is one of the most critical parts of any person’s life. Quality education at any level, from kindergarten to university, allows people to acquire the knowledge they need to build a successful career (Daun-Barnett et al., 2018). Thanks to this, people become confident in their abilities, earn money, and learn about the world. The educational policy thus significantly influences the achievement and success of young people. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and its impact on the educational system.
Before Barack Obama signed this act in 2015, another law was in force: No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Both laws have similar objectives and content; they focus on the availability and quality of education. Educators, communities, parents, and students across the country contributed to implementing the new version of the law, ESSA. Each of these stakeholders is concerned about the future of their children, which is why they have done everything they can to raise educational standards (Sargrad et al., 2019). Thanks to this, more children can learn from good professionals and have a better chance of a successful future.
The main provisions of the law are aimed at equality. Children who do not have enough funds or have health issues have the same right to education as others. All students must get knowledge by high academic standards (Tampio, 2017). The government tries to support local innovation, for example, evidence-based and place-based interventions. Moreover, the ESSA states that there will be accountability and action to effect positive change in small schools where some students are not making progress (U.S. Department of Education, 2015). Thanks to the implementation of this law, student grades have grown significantly, while the level of dropouts, on the contrary, has lowered to record levels. This allows researchers to state that the act positively affects all the stakeholders. Students can hope for a better future, parents are satisfied by them, teachers realize themselves as good professionals, and the government sees the positive result of their actions.
Despite the positive results, the act could be improved to ensure that the education system flourishes. It may require new policies implemented in the education. For example, education in America continues to be a considerable expense for parents (Palmadessa, 2017). Until now, not every child can go to a good school, since their parents do not have the means for it. Consequently, it is necessary to either revise the cost of education or create new programs to attract children from low-income families to cheap but high-quality education.
Another essential policy to consider is the rapid development of science and technology. Some modern programs are outdated, so teachers need to regularly update and supplement them (Schneider, 2017). Undoubtedly, fundamental education remains a crucial area of study. Children should receive basic knowledge of the world and maintain it throughout the educational process (Loo, 2018). However, such valuable skills as programming, financial management, and psychology are also becoming an integral part of life. Consequently, teaching them in regular schools could contribute to better education and increase the number of good specialists in modern fields.
Undoubtedly, ESSA has contributed to the development of science and education. It raised the quality of learning to a new level and allowed many children to gain knowledge that was not available before. However, as with any law, there is certainly room for improvement. Having analyzed the weaknesses of the educational system, it is possible to draw up a new, modern law that adapts to current conditions. This is an excellent opportunity to raise thousands of good specialists and contribute to the comprehensive development and prosperity of the country.
References
Daun-Barnett, N., St. John, E. P., Moronski-Chapman, K. M. (2018). Public policy and higher education: Reframing strategies for preparation, access, and college success. Taylor & Francis.
Loo, B. (2018). Education in the United States of America.World Education News and Reviews. Web.
Palmadessa, A. L. (2017). American national identity, policy paradigms, and higher education: A history of the relationship between higher education and the United States, 1862–2015. Palgrave Macmillan US.
Sargrad, S., Harris, K. M., Partelow, L., Campbell, N., and Jimenez, L. (2019). A quality education for every child: A new agenda for education policy. Center for American Progress. Web.
Schneider, J. (2017). Beyond test scores: A better way to measure school quality. Harvard University Press.
Tampio, N. (2017). Democracy and national education standards. The Journal of Politics, 79(1),
U.S. Department of Education. (2015). Every Student Succeeds Act.