Tuesday, February 24, 2009
No Adult Left Behind: Moving beyond No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has created significant opportunities for children to “grow” academically in preparing them for Postsecondary Education. It has so many excellent initiatives to reduce illiteracy and equalize the elementary and secondary education “playing field”. However, it is really not enough to prepare children academically for Postsecondary Education, because there are so many other variables that can affect a child’s success in the Postsecondary Education realm. The inefficiencies in NCLB are demonstrated in the enrollment, attrition, and retention issues that so many postsecondary education institutions face today.
Many students are prepared academically to succeed. However, they lack the ability to utilize decision making tools to determine the best academic setting conducive to their learning abilities, assessment of the culture of a postsecondary education institution, and coping with the change in environment from the “disciplined” high school structure to a more “self-empowered” postsecondary education environment. These are just some of the variables that can affect the child’s success in completing their education after high school. Secondary and Postsecondary Education Institutions have to be cognizant of these student inefficiencies as the transit from high school graduates to adults seeking college degrees.
Governor Granholm’s initiative to “double the number of Michigan College graduates” is a very obtainable goal. However, children will need more preparation in achieving this goal than just academically. Postsecondary Education Institutions have significant problems with enrollment, attrition, and retention which will have a significant affect on this goal. Through many are developing strategies for overcoming these issues, the real preparation for a child’s success begins during elementary and secondary education in helping the children to develop “a decision making tool kit” that transcends beyond “academics” into a more comprehensive knowledge base that can help them to persevere in the Postsecondary Education environment of “choice”.
In addition, postsecondary education institutions have to be prepared to “assist” the student in identifying their barriers to academic success and in the development of resolution strategies. This is not an easy task. It will take collaboration between the Secondary and Postsecondary Education realms to formulate strategies that go beyond the academic provisions for success in college to the emotional, spiritual, and moral philosophy building. As a child exits the high school “door” and moves into adulthood, “No Child Left Behind” has to also evolve to “No Adult Left Behind” with the decision making tools to achieve their Postsecondary Education goals and become more productive members of society.
Many students are prepared academically to succeed. However, they lack the ability to utilize decision making tools to determine the best academic setting conducive to their learning abilities, assessment of the culture of a postsecondary education institution, and coping with the change in environment from the “disciplined” high school structure to a more “self-empowered” postsecondary education environment. These are just some of the variables that can affect the child’s success in completing their education after high school. Secondary and Postsecondary Education Institutions have to be cognizant of these student inefficiencies as the transit from high school graduates to adults seeking college degrees.
Governor Granholm’s initiative to “double the number of Michigan College graduates” is a very obtainable goal. However, children will need more preparation in achieving this goal than just academically. Postsecondary Education Institutions have significant problems with enrollment, attrition, and retention which will have a significant affect on this goal. Through many are developing strategies for overcoming these issues, the real preparation for a child’s success begins during elementary and secondary education in helping the children to develop “a decision making tool kit” that transcends beyond “academics” into a more comprehensive knowledge base that can help them to persevere in the Postsecondary Education environment of “choice”.
In addition, postsecondary education institutions have to be prepared to “assist” the student in identifying their barriers to academic success and in the development of resolution strategies. This is not an easy task. It will take collaboration between the Secondary and Postsecondary Education realms to formulate strategies that go beyond the academic provisions for success in college to the emotional, spiritual, and moral philosophy building. As a child exits the high school “door” and moves into adulthood, “No Child Left Behind” has to also evolve to “No Adult Left Behind” with the decision making tools to achieve their Postsecondary Education goals and become more productive members of society.
Support for Gaza
America is going to donate 800 million to Gaza for humanitarian aid and yet there is controversy over 8000 billion for stimulating the American economy. This is truly ironic. American citizens are starving and homeless and the stimulus bill is being criticized because it has some spending in it. It would seem that the American government is more concerned about humanitarian aid to foreign countries rather than humanitarian aid for the American citizens. American citizens are without jobs and many are not entitled to welfare benefits or unemployment benefits. If they do receive benefits, they are not enough to cover even their basic needs and yet the American Government in concerned more about the living conditions in foreign countries than in America. There is no republican and democratic dispute over providing the humanitarian aid to Gaza and yet there is significant controversy over increasing unemployment benefits, food stamps, and monetary support for the American families. Why can’t American citizens receive direct monies instead of tax cuts and income tax rebates that really have no impact on stimulating the economy and improving the financial plight of the individuals and families? What is our government thinking? Where is the humanitarian aid for Americans? Why are we relegated to second class citizenship behind the need to aid foreign countries as our own economy is crumbling? The aid that is being provided to Gaza could benefit millions of families that are suffering a financial crisis because of politicians, banks, and other entities that are so focused on their own greed that they do not care about how the American citizen is faring. What is the purpose of having a government when the people are in need, the government is more concerned about the federal deficit if it helps American citizens than providing humanitarian aid to Gaza? As an American citizen, what rationale can the American government indicate for proving support for Gaza when so many American citizens are suffering just as much as the people in Gaza?
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