The changes, which the American education system has undergone since 1970, are truly ample. The principle of Open education, which was heralded in 1970s, can be viewed as the direct result of the numerous movements demanding equal rights for men and women, White Americans and ethnic minorities (i.e., African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, etc.), heterosexuals and homosexuals, and other denizens of the U.S. population. Though the fight for equal rights and responsibilities would not end soon and, in fact, would continue up to present days, it was the concept of equality suggested in 1970s that sparked the idea of providing equal educational opportunities for all members of the U.S. population.
While some authors claim that the concept of Open Education failed (Why we think 1970s Open Education failed, and considering what the truth really is…, 2014), it seems that the process of entitling people to their rights for higher education is still under way, obviously being slackened by people’s unwillingness to accept changes and new ideas. The progress that has been made is still significant, seeing that race, ethnicity and gender are no longer impediments to obtaining a degree. However, the unavailability of education for students from low-income families is still a major concern.
It should also be born in mind that the cost of education also reduces the accessibility of Higher education for a range of students. There is no secret that a range of students come from the background that does not allow saving enough money for entering a college or any other higher educational institution. Therefore, despite the major breakthrough that the U.S. education system has witnessed over the past few decades, the Federal Government still has to work on the provision of higher educational options for the students from low-income families.
Measuring the Authority of the Federal Government in the Realm of Education
Although the education system is technically governed by the U.S. state authorities, education institutions have been arranging their affairs in order and carrying out the key activities with the help of the local authorities for quite a while. The specified approach can be deemed as rather reasonable, seeing that addressing the issues that the members of a specific institution are facing at the moment is only possible when being aware of the specifics of the institution under analysis.
However, when it comes to addressing education related issues on a larger scale, the assistance of the U.S. state authorities is essential to the successful outcomes of the strategy adopted. The creation of legislative mandates that shape the education process can be considered an essential function of the federal government in the above-mentioned field. According to the existing evidence, the role of the federal government is restricted to observation in most cases: “The departments observe the school systems in operation and advise the legislatures of desirable changes and regulations” (Roe, n. d., par. 2).
Therefore, with the increase in the role of government, the quality of education would have suffered, as the state authorities would be unaware of the internal processes occurring within the institutions in question. As a result, the education processes would have been disrupted and a range of students would have lost the opportunity to gain proficiency in the subject chosen by them. Additionally, the changes, which occurred to the equity issue in 1970 to the American education institutions, would have taken place on a much slower pace with the state authorities at the helm of education (The roles of federal and state governments in education, 2015).
Reference List
Roe, W. H. (n. d.). State Departments of Education – Role and function, vocational education. State University Encyclopedia. Web.
The roles of federal and state governments in education. (2015). Find Law. Web.
Why we think 1970s Open Education failed, and considering what the truth really is… (2014). Speed Change. Web.