Education in America -

I agree that serious changes and improvements need to be made to the education system. The No Child Left Behind Act is a start, but I don't think it's enough. On the state level there are much more serious changes and improvements that need to be made, particularly where funding is concerned. I think the amount spent per student should be uniform, not based on where the school is located, i.e. which city, county. The children have no choice in where they live, so why should they suffer due to lack of funding based on a situation they have no deciding power in. If the No Child Left Behind Act was designed to make education more equal for all children then why is it that funding can be so unequal and, in my opinion, unfair.

My oldest is starting school in the fall and I can not believe that what is expected of her is so different from what is expected from the school one town away. It is not right that my daughters school has lower expectations then the town next door. She should not be penalized because she lives in a small town. Just because the funds are lower and the schools are smaller does not mean that the my daughter and the other kids do not deserve to be pushed to reach their full potential.

I completely agree. My next-to-youngest son just finished kindergarten. We live in a different city than when my oldest 2 children started school. I thought I knew what to expect after having put 2 kids in school already. I was shocked to see how little he learned compared to my other 2 children. He is very advanced and spent the majority of the school year bored and lost much of his desire to go to school. I've had several meetings with his kindergarted teacher as well as the guidance counselor and, hopefully, have a plan in place to challenge him for the coming school year. I think it's a shame that our government claims to have the best interests of the children in mind, yet so obviously ignore the disparity in the education system. The city we live in is not as "wealthy" as other cities in the area, and is shows in the lack of funding and programs in the school system here. If it weren't for the fact that I not only work but also attend college full time I would home school my children. I just simply don't have the time. I do, however, set aside time to ensure that I supplement their school education at home. I wonder how many of our politicians send their children to public schools?