Education in America Essay

Education is a hot topic in the news and for most American citizens. They are preoccupied with the level of education their loved one are receiving. With the deficit being the cornerstone of much of government funding, agencies are feeling the cutbacks, and education is no exception. States have made steep cuts to education funding since the start of the recession. In many states, those cuts deepened over the last year. Elementary and high schools are receiving less state funding in the 2012-13 school year than they did last year in 26 states, and in 35 states school funding now stands below 2008 levels-often far below (Oliff, Mai, & Leachman, 2012). Lack of government funding for education can lead to other issues such as well qualified teachers leaving the profession due to lack of good pay, and benefits. Other issues includes lack of school material that is needed to teach successfully in the classrooms, and teacher’s assistants to help. In other classrooms teachers are feeling overwhelmed and leaving students to take responsibility for their learning experience. Still other issues derive from a lack of funding such as a lack of finances to assist special needs students. The lack of government funding could deter learning for students that are already struggling Analysis of Education in Georgia Georgia like many other states are negatively affected by the budget cuts for education. Georgia will lose approximately $28. 6 million in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 390 teacher and aide jobs at risk. In addition about 54,000 fewer students would be served and approximately 80 fewer schools would receive funding. In addition, Georgia will lose approximately $17. 5 million in funds for about 210 teachers, aides, and staff who help children with disabilities (Burns, 2013). These persistent budget cuts are an injustice because all students deserve a well-rounded education. Educators are leaving In addition, teachers are leaving the classroom in massive groves to find employment in other careers because of the lack of government funding. Sadly, many teachers are leaving their beloved classrooms to pursue other ventures because of budget cuts, or because they are put in a situation of distress due to budget cuts, so either way our children are losing the battle of education, and good teachers are optioning for other career choices. Nationally, the average turnover for all teachers is 17 percent, and in urban school districts specifically, the number jumps to 20 percent, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future proffers starker numbers, estimating that one-third of all new teachers leave after three years, and 46 percent are gone within five years (Kopkowski, 2013). Stakeholders The stakeholders in education includes the students, parents, teachers, principals, student advisors, the PTA, etc. , any person or organization that has a vested interest in the students and their education. When the education systems fails, we all fail as a country. The future of education is a looming reminder of the importance of financial funding from the federal government. When budget cuts interfere with the future of students, it is time to make some tough choices. Although there are other programs that need federal funding to keep their agencies successful, education should still be given top priority. The stakeholders invest in the future of the young by teaching, advising, mentoring, and in some cases funding. Their valuable input is mandatory in the fight for survival for educational funding. The stakeholders have much to lose when the educational system fails. When this happens, dropout rates and unemployment rises which adversely affects the economy. Summary Children are truly our future, and illiterate children have nothing positive to offer. The demise of education in the America is taking a heavy toll on each of us, the parents, the student, and the teachers, we all suffer. Frustration often leads to failure when it is not dealt with in a professional and timely manner. Not only are the students feeling the pressure of ill equipped schools, but the teachers are also feeling the pressure. Many teachers buy supplies for their classroom from their already shrinking checks because they do not have proper funding to supply their classroom needs. Tough decisions need to be made in allocating funds to agencies that are in dire need of funding. Education is vital for the future of America, and the government is wise to realize that this is one budget cut that is not beneficial to anyone involved.