While area schools fight to achieve state standards, they now find themselves being measured against something new — the world.
As the world becomes more and more globalized, Americans are increasingly battling for jobs against people in other countries. With the new competition, there is added pressure on America’s schools to produce students who are able to compete.
Some recent studies have shown that the schools aren’t doing a great job.
American 15-year-olds ranked 35th out of 57 countries in mathematics and 29th of 57 in science on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s 2006 Program for International Student Assessment. The U.S. fares better in reading, but isn’t usually in the top ten.
It’s a problem that area schools are responding to, said Jack Gardner, the principal of Logansport High School. The school has implemented new programs to help students compete in today’s “global reality,” he said.
“We feel that there’s a lot of room to improve in the areas of technology, math and science, and we’re keeping our skills on the cutting edge,” he said. “Our eyes are fully open to the challenges that remain ahead.”
The changes include more use of technology and “greater awareness of the challenges,” Gardner said.
Schools across the state are adapting to the “shrinking” world, said Suellen Reed, the state’s superintendent of public instruction.
“We used to think, ‘How well are Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky doing? How do we compare to them?’” she said. “Now we have to think about the other countries of the world and how we compare to them.”
Current Indiana standards were internally judged against Japanese standards before they were approved, Reed said.
But the state superintendent cautioned against reading too much into the international tests. The tests are inherently flawed because of language differences, Reed said.
Gardner says Logansport students stack up just fine to the rest of the world.
“Do we think about how our students are doing and how we can teach them to compete in the global marketplace?” asked the principal, calling the testing issue “a very complicated topic.” “The answer is absolutely yes. But do we feel that we’re behind? That answer is no.”
To say Americans are “falling behind” isn’t accurate, Reed said. Rather, we just have different priorities — such as art and music classes, Reed said.
Another reason for the difference between countries lies in the culture, Reed said. Other nations simply put more emphasis on education, she said, citing the documentary “Two Million Minutes,” which followed Carmel High School students and compared them to students in India and China.
“We have to understand that many parts of the world are much more serious about education than we are,” she said.
A culture shift will go a long way toward improving education in America, the state superintendent said. She added that other positive changes include giving more credit to academic honors and a renewed focus on learning foreign languages.
How do we get people to take up the changes?
The low international testing scores might help, said Greg Grostefan, the principal of Columbia Middle School.
“It can be something we think about in order to motivate us to do better,” said the 3-month principal. “It’s a motivator.”
Brian Rosenthal can be reached at (574) 732-5148, or via e-mail at Brian.Rosenthal@pharostribune.com
Local News
Area schools fight to keep up with world
<b>International tests show American students falling behind other countries</b>
- Local News
-
- Daddy/Daughter Valentine Dance
-
Victory worth celebrating: United Way raises more than $600,000 for area organizations
Joe Johnson stood at the front of the room where a “small army” of community leaders had just been recognized for their work in raising more than $600,000 for United Way of Cass County. “Woah,” said the incoming campaign chairman. “This is scary.”
-
Accused rapist charged with felony in Arizona
A Logansport man out on bail on multiple sex-related charges was arrested last week in Arizona after police say he tried to attack his dad with a pair of kitchen knives.
-
Jurors: Galveston man not guilty of molest
A jury took only an hour Wednesday to decide that a Galveston man was not guilty of molesting a 9-year-old girl a decade ago.
-
Sen. Head to run for re-election
State Sen. Randy Head announced Wednesday he will seek re-election.
-
Retired Navy chief, former judge announce bids for local office
A former Cass Superior Court judge and a retired senior chief with the Navy announced their candidacies for local seats Wednesday.
-
Snowless savings: Warm weather lowers expenses
The unseasonably warm temperatures have allowed state and local road crews to perform roadwork usually conducted in the fall, lowered Logansport Municipal Utilities electric usage and saved all departments overtime pay for employees.
-
Logansport sees jump in grad rate
Logansport High School saw its graduation rate jump four percentage points in numbers released this week by the Indiana Department of Education.
-
Officials break ground on $1.1M Eel River Run
Contractors are set to begin work on the mile-long Eel River Run trail in downtown Logansport — the result of more than eight years of planning.
-
Fifth candidate files for county council
A longtime Logansport Municipal Utilities worker and former business owner is the first Democrat to file for county office in the coming primary election.
- More Local News Headlines
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
