While we're awash in debate about the future direction of our country, there should be no question that education and the long-term success of young people must be a top priority. With just three out of four teenagers graduating high school on time, and an unemployment rate for dropouts ranging from 15 to 40 percent depending on their age and location, we need no further proof that education is the antidote for a struggling economy. Our nation's future will be determined by whether the next generation can support themselves. The harsh reality is that too many Americans today simply don't have the education and workforce training necessary to do that.
The recent Olympic Games reminded us about the sheer power of perseverance and hard work. What those athletes accomplished at such young ages serve as a reminder of the incredible potential of our youth and of our responsibility as adults to do everything we can to nurture them throughout each stage of their lives. Nowhere is our failure to support young people more evident than in the dismal high school graduation rate. A 75.5 percent national graduation rate won't win us any medals -- in fact, it won't even get us to the finish line. If we don't change course, we'll inherit 12 million more dropouts by the year 2022. And while the U.S. sent more than 500 athletes to London, back home, 7,000 students dropped out in just one day. Those athletes represented our nation, but so do the young people who drop out of school. They also represent the promise and potential of our future, if we can come together to get all of our kids on a path to prosperity. Thankfully, we have lots of reasons to be hopeful.
Lost in the macro reporting on education and the economy are the young people and communities who are beating the odds. As we look at the winners of this year's 100 Best Communities for Young People competition presented by America's Promise Alliance and ING U.S., we find there's much more to this story.
In Louisville, Ky., a six-time 100 Best winner, where just 27 percent of the population has a secondary education, the mayor's office and Metro Chamber of Commerce established a program called 55,000 Degrees to raise education levels in the city. Their goal: 40,000 more bachelor's degrees and 15,000 more associate degrees in their community by 2020. Their efforts don't stop there. To further instill a higher education culture, Louisville also redesigned its high schools to provide nurturing Freshmen Academies and smaller learning communities around five career themes. They also work with the business community to make college more affordable for students through grant and scholarship programs.
Thousands of miles away in Honolulu, Hawaii, they are working toward a goal of 55 percent of working adults in the state attaining two- or four-year college degrees by 2025.
Perhaps one of the most inspiring stories is that of Kyle Harris. Kyle is 16 years old from Battle Ground, Wash., and she lost several friends to suicide last year and channeled that harrowing experience into something good for herself and her community. She created "A Walk to Stop" to raise awareness of teen suicide. Hundreds of people participated, and thousands of dollars were raised to support suicide prevention programs. Kyle single-handedly changed the trajectory of her community.
These are just three examples from across the country, and as a nation we can learn from them. No doubt, their example reminds us that young people are our greatest currency. They, too, can be champions -- for themselves, their families, and our nation.
Alma and Colin Powell are chair and founding chair of America's Promise Alliance, the nation's largest partnership network devoted to improving the lives of the nation's young people. To learn more about the 100 Best competition or see the full list of winning communities, visit: www.americaspromise.org/100best.
Peter Meyer: The Best Education for the Best Is the Best Education for All
Peter W. Cookson, Jr.: What Would a Romney White House Mean for Education?
Kevin P. Chavous: The Obama-Romney Education Summit Agenda
| 1 | United States | 46 | 29 | 29 |
| 2 | China | 38 | 27 | 23 |
| 3 | Russia | 24 | 26 | 32 |
| 4 | Great Britain | 29 | 17 | 19 |
| 5 | Germany | 11 | 19 | 14 |
| 6 | Japan | 7 | 14 | 17 |
As does an equal opportunity to a good education even for the most poor.
As does an equal opportunity to learn for those that are homeless, poor, hungry.
And, yet, your party, the Republican Party, is cutting funds for the poor, the hungry, education, etc.
Perhaps there are some Republican magic beans that will make up the cuts?
However, the education special interests that have delivered us an entitled class of unaccountable teachers and administrators has to be fixed from pre-K to University. We invest so much money in education without the results to show for it. College costs and the college loan programs have become an indentured servitude for many that is shameful, especially when many don't graduate college at all or with a degree in something like "Art History". Why would we shackle our "best" with questionable degrees and years of debt?
As far as high schools, stable American homes are almost a rarity, people of means included. The government can't replace the family, and teachers are exhausted trying. High school should be exciting, such as with olympic sized swimming pools and required sports for all; sewing, cooking, building, mechanics, electronics. Tangible stuff. Even the smart kids like to sew and build and cook.
I came from a poverty background and decided to go to a university. In fact I was the first one in my family who did get such an education. Never during my undergraduate years was I aware that I studied to get a job, good or middling, but because I loved the participation in an incredible adventure: discovery.
General Powell is one member of the GOP that I trust and would vote for.
Exactly!! Our HS education system needs a paradigm shift. Not every kid is going to college!! Even the children of high income professionals aren't necessarily college bound (good friend is a Doctor - his son went to trade school and became an Electrician). If you're not planning to go to college, have no interest in college, know you don't have the grades to get scholarships (and your folks have no money for your college), you'd figure: why bust my butt trying to pass Trig, Algebra, and Physics? What's wrong with preparing HS graduates for jobs as Mechanics, Administrative/support staff, Welders, Plumbers, Machinests, Electricians, and other skilled trades?
We need a Vocational training track in HS (for those kids who want it) - teach them the basic/practical math and science skills - then it's vocational training for several years, with internships and apprentiseships (funded perhaps by the businesses who are in need of skilled trade workers). Those kids on the 'college track' get more focused attention in their AP classes, because the uninterested kids aren't taking up the teachers time and efforts. The Vocational kids know they're getting a strong head start for a good, well paying job. Everybody wins.
But, cutting budgets won't help -- even for vocational education.
A man can can make a great living as a plumber, an electrician, etc.
But, they'll have to know real science, math, technology - to do so.
I believe that when kids are already struggling in HS, as the excellent commenter above describes, the last thing they want to do is scrimp and save to go through at least two more years of a degree program with subjects they hate. At college level these kids are 18-22. Surely old enough to decide for themselves what they want to study?
We are not a nation of Mandarins, nor should we make our glass ceilings any thicker than they are; why not teach everyone we can?
Or shall we be known as The Credentialed States of America?
They run the show and their doing a terrible job at it. By any macro-economic comparison, things were much better for them than they are for us.
Baby Boomers are bankrupting us through Social Security, Medicare, Welfare, wasteful spending on military expenditures and government related purchases of so-called 'assets', and investments that simply don't pay off.
On top of that, the bureaucracy that is played out in the U.S. today is nearly to the point where it's so ineffective that it actually causes harm. Think about the majority of economic and political decisions made over the last 9-12 years (tax law).
Education should be a no-brainer!