US Education: $1.3 Trillion Investment in Skills & Success - Essay Sample

Introduction

In the United States of America, education is one of the key factors that enhances the production of skills required in different sectors of the economy. In many cases, state governments are involved in setting the overall educational standards by mandating standardized tests. The local and state governments usually contribute to the bulk of the funding of over $1.3 trillion dollars to the education sector. The federal government often contributes only $200 billion (2015 | Mathematics & Reading at Grade 12). In most cases, private schools in the United States are free to control their staffing and curriculum policies. The interventions of both the state, local, and the federal government have lifted the education standards that result from the efficiency in teaching through the application of different methodologies. The education system in the United States integrates people from all the races and even international students. Because the country wants to achieve equality and increase the literacy levels in different fields of study, it is essential to ensure the incorporation of all the learners from different backgrounds irrespective of the color. The above policy follows the performance of the learners in different subjects, which is always below average. The National Assessment of Educational Progress reports that no racial group of high school students-Asian, White, Hispanic or Black-scores more than 50% proficient in math and reading (2015 | Mathematics & Reading at Grade 12).

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Some of the certificates awarded to the students after graduation from high school does not enable them to effectively pursue a college education. In her April 10, 2018, article "High School Diploma Criteria Fall Short, Study Finds," Education Week staff writer Catherine Gewertz reports that "'Paper Thin,' a report by the Alliance for Excellent Education, found that U.S. schools award 98 different types of high school diplomas, and only half prepare students well for college or career." However, the availability of the resources is one of the factors that should ensure the smooth transition from high school level to college or university. There is a need for all students to succeed not only in tough courses but also in simple courses to ensure the smooth transition from high school to university levels. Therefore, there is the need to ensure that all the students have the requirements to succeed; these requirements may include effective curriculum, good teachers, strong institutional support as well as equal access to different classes. The lack of support from the local, state, and federal government indicates that some students are the move through the system without qualifications for college and another post-high school training. With the lack of sufficient resources that enable the students to meet rigorous coursework requirement, there is always low performance in different areas, especially math and science, a scenario that encourages fewer admissions into post-secondary education.

Through the incorporation and utilization of the state, local, and federal government's funds, there have been significant improvements in the school performance. In 2018, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that high school graduation rates had reached a record-breaking high of 85% (High school graduation rates 12). And per the NCES "the 6-year graduation rate has reached the highest point for the first-time, full-time undergraduate students who began seeking a bachelor's degree at a 4-year degree-granting institution in fall 2010 was 60 percent (High school graduation rates 16). Government support is necessary when it comes to the improvement of the grades and general performance of the students.

The increase in admission of students to different colleges and universities from high school has led to high population in these higher learning institutions. The college and university's fees have remained relatively stable over the past few years. However, financial aid has not been in line with the ever-increasing costs of housing and living standards (Gordon 23). The above scenario has pushed more students to work for more house for them to get some income that can enable them to afford a descent life. According to an October 14, 2018, EdSource article, "Even though tuition costs at the 23 Cal State universities and ten UC campuses have been relatively stable over recent years, financial aid has not kept up with rising housing costs, pushing more students to work more hours" (Gordon 22). More attention is therefore required when it comes to funding of college and university education.

Low income among the university and college students characterized by the low funding from the government interferes with the student's performance in various universities. Lack of enough income and the increase in the living standards and the cost of housing often forces the students to work for long hours and concentrate less on the academic works, a situation that reduces the chances for graduation. In most cases, students from low-income families concentrate on working and only spend less time in academic works, therefore when it comes to the tests, they cannot perform or obtain the grades required for graduation. October 14, 2018, EdSource article points to one cause of low college graduation rates: students who work more than 15 hours a week while attending school. Per EdSource: Larimore's center last year published a report that found that working more than 15 hours a week appears to especially harm low-income students' chances to graduate. (Graduation Rates 14). The more work hours a student takes on beyond 12 or 15 a week, "the more risk you take on in jeopardizing academic achievement or time to degree," Larimore said (Graduation Rates 17). Therefore, there is a need for the state, local, and the federal government to increase funding for the students in the higher learning institutions to reduce the number of working hours among the students.

In some cases, there is a university of college students that do not find the income from the school employment to be lucrative or enough, and as a result, they tend to engage in external activities or jobs to boost their income. With the acquisition of external temporary jobs, students tend to take a few courses at a time for them to balance between the work and the education programs. As a result, they tend to require more time for them to complete and pass all the courses required for graduation (Gordon 17). In the American universities and colleges, among low-income students, 63 percent of those who worked less than 15 hours a week graduated within six years compared to 41 percent who worked more hours, according to the report (Gordon 14). Low-income students tend to work off-campus, rather than or in addition to on-campus work-study jobs that accommodate their school schedules better; the study noted (Gordon 13). Work-study usually limits students to 15 or so hours a week, which is not enough for students who need more funds or have to help support their families (Gordon 13).

Works Cited

Gewertz, Catherine. "High School Diploma Criteria Fall Short, Study Finds." Education Week, 10 Apr. 2018.

Gordon, Larry. "New warnings about California students juggling college and jobs." EdSource, 14 Oct. 2018.

2015 | Mathematics & Reading at Grade 12"." The Nation's Report Card, U.S. Department of Education, 2018,

Graduation Rates. Fast Facts. National Center for Education Statistics. U.S. Department of Education, 2018,

High school graduation rates." Fast Facts. National Center for Education Statistics. U.S. Department of Education, 2018