By Adia Shabazz

A teacher training session was recently held at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts as they launched their educational resource website http://www.vmfa-resources.org. It is a wonderful website that gives access to the entire museum through lesson plans and ways to connect outside the walls of the museum. Whether or not you are home, prostate charter, remedy public, magnet, or private schooling, this is a pretty cool resource to utilize. I had the opportunity to talk with some spectacular educators, many of whom give their all teaching in the public school system. One teacher, a self professed supporter of the public school system, lamented public schools losing so many students to private schools and homeschooling. She stated that there is a lack of funds going into resources for students, pay for teachers, upkeep of buildings and the like. She understands, albeit regrettably, why many families are making those decisions. This teacher went on to reminisce on her own experiences as a child in public education. Her experiences were full of academic, artistic and cultural richness, which she believes no longer exist because funding public schools doesn’t seem to be top priority.

When discussing options in education, public school is often the standard against which all other educational choices are measured. However, as much as public education is considered a mainstay in American society, it has not always been the case. Initially, families were primarily responsible for the education of their children. In the 19th century, children were largely homeschooled or apprenticed to tradesmen. Early suggestions to create public education were not favored by and large by American society. In the 1840s, a few public schools were in operation in affluent communities, because they could afford to run them. This still excluded the whole of American society. By the 1850s, many states started writing and enacting compulsory education laws, and by 1918, all American children were required to attend at least elementary school. However, even though there was a push for education across the country, racial and economic disparities within the system still prevailed. “Separate but equal” schooling, a misnomer that explained the segregated school system, was overturned in 1954 with the Brown vs. Board of education case that called for the desegregation of the public school system.

The American public school system is consistently being modified with attempts to improve its efficiency and equity. “A Nation at Risk”, a report released in 1983 stated that America was falling far behind other industrialized countries regarding the performance of our students. The reaction to this assertion was the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act of the George Bush administration. This act instituted standards of measurement that would allow poorly performing schools to be identified. These poorly performing schools then had mandated changes they had to make toward improvement in order to avoid being taken over by the state. People in favor of this act believe it raises school accountability. Opponents believe that it causes teachers to “teach to the test”, thus removing the diversity and richness of an education that includes critical thought and the arts.

Public schools are operated from the state level departments of education. Locally, they are run by school districts and publicly appointed school boards. There are almost 15,000 different school districts in the United States and because most of the decision making resides at the state and not federal level, curriculum within school districts can vary from state to state. Most students attend the schools they are zoned for, but with the rising demand for tailored options in education, parents also have the option to send their children to charter and magnet schools.

Although charter schools were covered earlier in this series, magnet schools were created to further encourage racial integration by creating schools that were desirable to families from various communities and entice them into joining the same academic community. These schools are supposed to be regulated to ensure that they have a good balance of students from all ethnic backgrounds. Magnet schools often focus on one skill set (i.e. gifted and talented, math, science etc.). Magnet school principals are afforded greater control over curricula than public school principals. Magnet schools can also be more selective in admitting students based on academic achievement and/or behavior. Magnet schools are funded by federal and state grants, corporate contributions, local school boards and sometimes tuition. One argument against magnet schools is that they pull the “best and brightest” out of local public schools, thereby lowering the average of academic performance among the remaining students.

Public schools are funded largely through property taxes, a small amount through fundraising and mostly from state and local government budgets. Federal government contributes less than ten percent of the cost it takes to provide education to children in public education.

It’s no secret that our public schools are in need of reform, because education for a student differs based upon where they live. One author made the point that if public education is failing why isn’t the same outcry for education reform happening in affluent communities where children are educated in public schools. In more affluent communities, families are more involved in their children’s education. PTA (Parent Teacher Assocication) rates are higher and parents have a greater presence with which to affect activities in their children’s schools. The problem is not public schools outright; it is that education as a “great equalizer” is not true for communities where property values are lower.

Due to changes in public school such as going to school out of zone, charter and magnet schools, many families are selective in their public education choices as well. All is not doom and gloom with public education, there are still many benefits. First, and foremost, public schools are free. If you live in a community that is diverse, this diversity (various socioeconomic levels and various cultures) is reflected in the student body of your school. Whether or not your children attend their local public school, resources that your tax dollars pay for are often still available to you. For instance, if your child needs a service like speech therapy, you are able to utilize the testing and services of the speech therapist in your local school. Public funding often allows public schools to build facilities (such as a skating rink or pool) and/or purchase equipment, such as laboratory equipment and technology that would be difficult for most families to purchase on their own.

Because public schools receive public funding their teachers must adhere to strict licensing requirements. This can result in better trained, specialized teachers. As a result, pay for public school teachers is generally better than pay for teachers in other settings, but this varies based upon school. Public schools are often better equipped and funded to serve students with special needs, as well as be connected to state agencies that may provide additional assistance to students with special needs.

Public schools are seen as the standard. For many families, there is no other choice than public schooling and for that reason our public schools should be one of the best options for educational choices, not our last resort. Whether or not a family chooses to utilize homeschooling, charter schools, private schools or magnet schools, it is still important to remain aware of what is happening in our public schools and stay engaged in order to affect change and support our teachers. All children truly do deserve to have access to a great education and the opportunity to develop to their highest potential.