Differences in Education

One thing I have seen first hand is the drastic distance in education depending on the type of school. Research shows that there is a significant gap in the way students are learning, in their academic growth, and in their intelligence levels. There are so many different types of methods to learn- private schools, charter schools, public school, community schools, etc. To start off the focus in one school is not and will not be the same. Classroom sizes are different, student to teacher ratio is different, the number of facilities/resources, the number of free and reduced lunches, and everything is different except the fact that they are all schools. To start, kids are learning differently. As you factor in other factors such as their background, socioeconomic status, race, and education level the gaps and differences grow immensely. Standardized testing does a phenomenal job of demonstrating the subjects in which students are struggling, if at all as well as the level they are on and progressing to each year. Yet, the gap still remains. Although there is no cookie cutter way to go about this change, it has to start at some level and everywhere. There is a focus on impoverished urban districts, but as a whole there are a lot of factors at hand. What are the ways in which we can help these students? You cannot hinder the gifted students or the students progressing and making at least a years worth of growth in a years worth of time. You cannot discourage students who can afford better resources from getting tutoring and involved in more extracurricular activities to help improve their education. However, something can be done to help those on the other side of the table. There has to be a push to provide those struggling students with at least an opportunity to ensure they are making progress with each year. There has to be a way to raise the minimum.