The American educational system has been the center of a great deal of controversy in recent months.
Question:
The American educational system has been the center of a great deal of controversy in recent months. It has often been suggested that the entire structure of the system is in need of major changes. Several states have initiated programs to test the proficiency of high-school seniors. Most recently, some states have begun to revise the methods by which teacher pay increases are determined. Both of these events have caused many people to take a close look at our present public education system.
Florida and California are the leaders in the move to test the proficiency of high school seniors. At present, some states are faced with increasing numbers of students who are ineligible for graduation. This has created outrage on the part of many parents. These parents assume that, after twelve years in a structured educational environment, their children should read and comprehend on a level equivalent to their grade. When this is not the case, parents are outraged.
Where exactly does the blame lie when an eighteen-year-old can only read on an eighth-grade level? The answer to this question often involves a circular argument. Parents feel the fault lies with the teachers. Teachers, however, blame both the "system" and the parents for not providing additional guidance at home.
The basic premise for the public school system is to provide a free education to all children. By law, a child is required to be in school until at least age 16. Whether or not a person wants an education or feels it is necessary, he or she is bound by this law. Public schools, therefore, are faced with a serious dilemma. They must provide an atmosphere conducive to learning for those students who are eager to learn. At the same time, these schools must babysit students who have little or no interest in being part of the educational system.
Since the schools are free to all, overcrowding is an additional problem many schools face. This is especially prevalent in many urban schools. While overcrowding is itself a problem, it breeds another problem. Teachers are forced to push students along to the next grade with their classmates, whether or not they are at the same level. This is necessitated by the fact that another group of students is coming along and teachers are faced with a limited amount of space. As a result, a group of students remains severely deficient in basic skills by the time they graduate from high school.
Teachers' salaries have also recently come under public scrutiny. The controversy concerns the method by which salary increases are awarded. Unlike any other organizations, pay raises in public education are based on length of service. These wage increases have nothing to do with merit or competence. As a result, there is no incentive for a teacher with twenty or more years of experience to keep up to date with changes in his subject field or improvements in modern teaching methods.
6. The author's primary purpose in this passage is to:
A. suggest an improvement for the public education system.
B. discuss current issues regarding public education.
C. argue that high school proficiency tests are unfair to the student.
D. stress that merit should be required for public school teachers.
E. highlight the advantages and disadvantages of modern public school education.
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