San Francisco, U.S.A. — American voters recognize that the U.S. is falling behind other countries when it comes to education and want their political leaders to make education a higher priority, according to a national opinion survey released on August 21 by The Center for the Next Generation.

The Center for the Next Generation’s ”Survey of American Voters’ Attitudes on Education and Global Competitiveness” found pessimism about the state of U.S. education. Despite giving leaders low marks on education, voters say restoring America’s leadership in education and increasing investments in education should be a top priority for the next President, the next Congress, and their states’ governors.

Emphasizing voters’ pessimism about America’s education landscape, a majority of voters (52 percent) think that the next Bill Gates will come from another country and 47 percent think the scientist who cures cancer will come from another country.

A strong majority of voters across party lines say they would be willing to pay more in taxes and reduce spending in other areas if the funds were dedicated to K-12 education programs. Voters’ willingness to personally pay more comes from a strong belief that the U.S. should be a world leader in education and that it is critical that the U.S. keep up with other countries.

“In a country renowned for its science and technology prowess, it is telling so many Americans think the next Bill Gates or the person driving the next cancer breakthrough won’t come from the U.S.” said Matt James, President of The Center for the Next Generation. “But that doesn’t mean they’ve given up. Voters want our political leaders to invest in education to ensure we properly educate and prepare the Next Generation to be successful in today’s global economy.”

Key findings from the nationwide survey of voters include:

• A 46 percent plurality of voters believe that the U.S. is behind other countries with growing economies – like China and India - when it comes to providing programs to help children get ahead.
• More than three in four voters (78 percent) say that restoring America’s leadership and increasing investments in education should be a top or high priority for the next President.  For their state’s Governor, 77 percent say it should be a top or high priority, and 72 percent want Congress to make this a top or high priority.
• By more than 2 to 1, voters say they are very or somewhat willing to pay more in taxes if the funds are dedicated to K-12 education programs, including 81 percent of Democrats, 59 percent of independents, and 57 percent of Republican voters.  Similarly, voters by a 2 to 1 margin say they are very or somewhat willing to pay more in taxes AND reduce spending in other areas if the funds are dedicated to K through 12 education programs.
• An overwhelming 72 percent majority of voters strongly agree that the U.S. should be a world leader in education (rate 10 – strongly agree, on a 1-10 scale).  Similarly, 68 percent of voters strongly agree that while we want other countries to be educating their workforce, it is critical that the U.S. keep up. Fifty-three percent of voters strongly agree that we need to increase investment in our education system so that children will have the best opportunities for educational success (rate 10 – strongly agree, on a 1-10 scale).
• Just four percent of voters would give their leaders in Congress a gold medal for their job performance on education, 11 percent would give them a silver medal, and 28 percent would give them a bronze.  A 45 percent plurality of voters said leaders on Congress would fail to qualify for a medal (and six percent volunteered they wouldn’t even let them compete).
• Just over one third of voters think the next Bill Gates will come from the U.S. (35 percent), while 52 percent say he or she will come from another country;
• Less than one-third of voters think that the scientist who cures cancer will come from the U.S. (31 percent), while 47 percent say he or she will come from another country;

To view the poll, visit: www.tcng.org/competition-that-matters

The survey was released in conjunction with a Center for the Next Generation and Center for American Progress joint report, ”The Competition that Really Matters: Comparing U.S., Chinese and Indian Investments in the Next Generation Workforce,” which finds that China, India and several European countries have made it a national priority to dramatically improve educational outcomes of their students while the U.S. has been far less ambitious.

The report finds that in an era when the Next Generation will be expected to compete for jobs in a global economy, America’s commitment to education is waning while the growing economies of China and India are investing more than ever. The study underscores how America’s global competitiveness is being threatened by a lack of focus on preparing our Next Generation for what is an increasingly global market for jobs, industries and economic sectors.

To view the report, visit: www.tcng.org/competition-that-matters

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To choose to be a student right now in the UK is to place yourself in a very precarious situation. You can go the university route, where high tuition fees will hopefully be offset by strong career prospects, or you can go the technical college route as a means of earning a vocational skill which will result in more practical and accessible work experience.

Alternatively, you can choose to study abroad for the sake of your resumé, you can study part-time and find part-time employment to avoid incurring massive student loans, or if all else fails then you can take a gap year from your studies and attempt to find significant work experience which will potentially guide you onto the right academic path at a later date.

However, do a little asking around and you will soon find that a lot of people at different ages in these various positions are struggling to answer the question of, ‘Is education, in this day and age, and in this economic climate, even worthwhile?’.

What it all comes down to is all the statistics you have heard before: fees are up, the job market has narrowed, those already in employment are putting off retirement by a few more years, and so as a result the next generation of professionals are cast somewhat adrift.

Danielle Lavery, 24, attended both Belfast Metropolitan College and University of Ulster, and had the following to say about the attitudes of the staff in each institution:

When it comes to Uni, I think they get paid for nothing … [College] is a different story. They are dying to help in any way possible. I would study there forever.

This comment about being ‘paid for nothing’ is an echo of a point raised by many in the past – do university students get their value for money? Even before the fee increase became an issue, the majority of undergraduates were paying over £3,000 per year in tuition for less than a dozen hours of taught class per week.

At postgraduate level, the fees are higher and the taught class hours per week are lower, a structure which by its very design is becoming increasingly unappealing to younger students just starting out in higher education. Charlotte Hart, 18, is in her first year at Manchester Metropolitan University and said:

Joys = Getting to choose what you learn about more so than in previous education, and getting to move away (some people). Pains = lack of money.

Thus, the financial problem persists. Universities may offer a range of clubs and societies, and some may be developing world-class facilities, such as Queen’s University Belfast’s (QUB) McClay Library, but if students are not being compelled to make the most of these then the focus again turns towards the tangible benefits which students are receiving in turn for their tuition fees.

To go from a first year undergraduate to a PhD student, Amanda Krentzel, 23, spoke of the challenges and responsibilities that come from the mere development of one’s academic career. Having finished her undergraduate degree less than a year ago, Krentzel now finds that:

Suddenly, in the eyes of undergrads, you’ve aged a decade.

This point brings to light the academic hierarchy which is not nearly as well-documented as the financial burdens of student life. Pursuing academia through all of its stages means finding yourself becoming a relatively senior figure before you have reached your mid-20s. That routine of simply going to class, doing assignments, complaining about exams, and partying in the student union?

That is forgotten very quickly as the ‘student’ becomes a more active participant in the university community. Now, add together the personal responsibility and the workload, as well as the financial challenges, and the full extent of the pressures of student life become more apparent.

All this, however, is not to downplay the fundamental love of education that many students, even those in dire financial straits, manage to maintain. Sarah McBride, 25, is a postgraduate student at QUB and explained:

I’m pro-education. I’m here for the love of learning, not just for the job prospects.

Therein may lie the reason why so many young people continue to apply to higher education courses when they are well aware of the complete lack of guarantees of finding jobs: a love of learning.

In a year where recent graduates have emigrated from Europe to the United States, and vice versa, there are still plenty who believe that the student experience is still an invaluable and ultimately fulfilling endeavour to pursue. Yet for those who have emigrated to pursue their studies, the reasons are equally persuasive. James Hughes, a QUB graduate, moved to Maastricht to do his MA, and lists his motivations for doing do as:

The cheap fees, the potential employment prospects and the international atmosphere of the student body. Chance to live in another country is appealing and, for Maastricht specifically, it’s a great central ‘hub’ for travelling.

For those who remain at home, it remains to be seen whether the joys of education will continue to outweigh the pains, as another year goes by with more graduates than ever fighting it out for that one, elusive, perfect dream job.

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Anthony Delmedico, founder and CEO of Del Visionaries, gave a speech titled E2 at the White House during the recent Future of Entrepreneurship Education (FEE) Summit.  E2 =  Entrepreneurship Education as core curriculum in our K-12 schools.  Anthony is demanding that Congress, state governor boards, President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan mandate entrepreneurship education as part of core curriculum for all public schools.

Fueled by the speech he gave at the Future Entrepreneurship Education Summit, Delmedico says he is launching an online digital petition to create awareness to the plight of America’s future and garnish the support of millions to the importance of entrepreneurship to empower the next generation of America’s youth to become entrepreneurs that is job creators versus job seekers.

During Delmedico’s speech, he gave factual statistics to highlight on how the lack of an entrepreneurial education has a negative effect on America’s youth and the American economy. ”While the nation’s unemployment rate wavers close to 10%, for young adults 16 to 30, the unemployment is closer to 26 percent, and in some cities in our nation close to 40%,” said Delmedico.

“For those fortunate enough to earn a high school or college degree, very few are prepared for today’s new economy, and the job market of today.  Currently there are 2.4M college graduates whom cannot find jobs in their fields of study, that’s 80%.  They are in debt up to their eyeballs and they are disappointed,” says Delmedico.

“According to a recent report by the McKinsley Global Institute, America will need to create a net 21M new jobs by 2020 in order to return to full employment.  Currently we have a job deficit in this country.  75% of all new jobs come from entrepreneurs, not large corporations.  So if we are serious about creating 21M new jobs in the next 8 years, we need to create an army of entrepreneurs. This Army is sitting in our K-12 school system today.

We must launch E2 (entrepreneurship education) as required core curriculum in our schools, starting in the 4th grade and advancing to the 12th grade.  And we must do this by 2013.  This will create an army of job creators versus job seekers and change the face of the American economy within 8 years,” says Delmedico.

In 2009, Delmedico authored an interactive workbook, Kids in business around the World, that teaches kids (8 to 14) how to start their own business.  Knowing that kids would need more than just a book or academic experience he also invented a mobile business stand branded the Little Green Money Machine.

Kids pick a kid business template from the book, design their own advertising banners, and sell products/services in their neighborhoods and communities. This revolutionary interactive learning system is now helping kids, tweens, and teens learn how to set goals, set-up their first business, and lays the foundation of financial literacy and social entrepreneurship.

“If Entrepreneurship is the engine of the American economy, why isn’t the same emphasis placed on it in our K-12 schools as Math, English, and Science?  If we are serious about creating jobs, and putting the American economy back on track, this is a no brainer.  We need to create an army of entrepreneurs!  We need to teach it in our schools!” Delmedico demands passionately during his speech to his DC audience.

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A Maricopa County Superior Court judge last week rejected a lawsuit challenging Arizona’s landmark Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program, the first-of-its-kind private school choice program that benefits special needs children.

The American Federation for Children—the nation’s voice for school choice—praised the ruling as a victory for parents, students, and education reform advocates. The lawsuit, brought forth by the Arizona School Boards Association and the Arizona Education Association, will likely be appealed, according to lawyers arguing on behalf of the program.

The Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program grants education savings accounts to eligible parents of students with special needs. Parents can use those funds for a host of educational purposes, including tuition, tutoring, and school supplies. There are currently 142 students enrolled in the program.

“The real winners here are the parents and the children who are benefiting from this groundbreaking school choice program,” said Betsy DeVos, chairman of the American Federation for Children.  “It is long past time for special interests to cease challenging laws that empower parents and give hope to disadvantaged children.”

In her ruling, Judge Maria Del Mar Verdin said that “the exercise of parental choice among education options makes the program constitutional,” also noting that ESAs allow parents to choose how and when all of the scholarship amounts are spent. Opponents claimed that the program violates the “Aid Clause” and the “Religion Clause” of the Arizona Constitution.

The victory is the most recent in a long line of successful court rulings in favor of expanded educational options. Last April, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Arizona’s Individual School Tuition Organization Tax Credit Program, and earlier this month, an Indiana judge rejected a lawsuit that aimed to halt the statewide voucher program.

Enacted last year, the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program is the fourth private school choice program operating in Arizona. The Grand Canyon State is currently one of only two states in the country with four publicly funded private school choice programs.

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Expansions to the nation’s oldest private school choice program are giving thousands more Wisconsin families a choice in their child’s education, according to the School Choice Yearbook 2011-12—the annual award-winning publication offering the most comprehensive data on the nation’s 27 private school choice programs—released by the Alliance for School Choice.

A total of 23,198 children are receiving scholarships to attend the school of their parents’ choice thanks to the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, which last year underwent its most significant expansions since it became the first publicly funded private school choice program ever back in 1990.

Among the new provisions in the voucher program are the removal of the cap on the number of student participants, rules allowing schools across the states to accept program participants, expanded enrollment to benefit children from middle-class families, and—with a Democratic-sponsored provision known as “Once In, Always In”—a guarantee that participating families can remain in the program regardless of future income growth.

Legislators in the Badger State also created a new program in the city of Racine.  Signed into law in June 2011, the Racine Parental Choice Program, which is modeled after the highly successful Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, enrolls almost 250 students after only a short enrollment period last summer. The two programs in Wisconsin are among seven new programs and 11 expanded programs nationwide.

“Wisconsin’s school choice expansions represent years of hard work on behalf of kids,” said Yearbook coauthor Malcom Glenn, the national communications director at the Alliance. “The gains in Milwaukee and Racine are an integral part of what made 2011 such a breakthrough year.”

The Alliance’s annual Yearbook, entitled School Choice Now: The Year of School Choice, is a collection of the nation’s most accurate data on publicly funded private school choice programs across the country.  It features analysis of trends and information regarding school choice, a directory of the accountability provisions and requirements for each of the 27 private school choice programs, and a chronicle of the events from the past year.

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The Campaign for High School Equity (CHSE), a coalition of leading civil rights and education advocacy organizations, is calling on President Obama to fully commit to investing in education reforms that are critical to the success of the country’s future workforce.

Sustainable U.S. economic growth will require meaningful support of policies that ensure all of America’s students graduate high school prepared to drive innovation in critical sectors like manufacturing, health care, educational services, and alternative energy.

“We cannot afford to tolerate a climate in which the students of color, the very ones who will make up the bulk of the nation’s future workforce, have the least access to high-quality public education,” said Michael Wotorson, executive director of CHSE. “American companies cannot be expected to bring jobs back home, if our workforce is not prepared to claim them.

President Obama’s recognition of the need to prioritize high school graduation rates is very encouraging. Still his administration must do more than the president revealed in the State of the Union address to lead essential education reforms that provide the strategic investment of the resources necessary to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed.”

CHSE’s “Plan for Success” is a blueprint for the administration and Congress that’s designed to ensure that America leads the world in educating its people. The Plan for Success provides a comprehensive set of recommendations designed to strengthen public schools, support effective teaching and offer every student a pathway to graduation and beyond. Specifically, the Plan for Success calls for policies that:

• Make all students proficient and prepared for college and career;
• Hold schools accountable for student success;
• Provide students with the excellent leaders and teachers they need to succeed;
• Invest communities in student success;
• Provide equitable learning conditions for all students; and
• Provide students with expanded learning opportunities.

CHSE is also calling for the meaningful engagement of communities of color to ensure that all students-including English language learners, and students with diverse learning needs, have access to the high-quality educational content and teachers who have been trained to effectively teach students from under-resourced communities by using methods that research demonstrates are essential to success in college and career.

“The current level of investment in public education is completely inadequate to meet the demands of a knowledge-based economy. If America is truly committed to building a strong and sustainable economy, then we must recognize that all of our students are the building blocks,” said Wotorson.

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U.S.News & World Report released recently the first-ever edition of Top Online Education Program rankings. Online bachelor’s degree programs as well as graduate online degree programs in business, engineering, nursing, education, and computer information technology were ranked.

There will be no print component to the Online Education rankings, and the full data and rankings will only be available through the subscription-based U.S. News Online Compass. These rankings are in response to today’s high demand for education provided in a flexible manner. With many distractions to detract from one’s schooling, online education has become increasingly popular due to its adaptability.

“Online learning has fast become an integral part of education,” said U.S.News & World Report Editor and Chief Content Officer Brian Kelly. ”People are hungry for more information regarding online education and we are in a position to give these people the best information available.”

While U.S. News has applied some of its ranking standards used for traditional schools, many new measures have been developed and were used to evaluate online programs. In order to be considered for the rankings, online degree programs needed to have at least 80 percent of their course content available online.

Online bachelor’s degree programs were ranked in three different categories: student engagement and assessment, faculty credentials and training, and student services and technology. The online master’s degree programs were ranked in similar categories, but were evaluated on student engagement and accreditation as opposed to assessment. There was also a separate indicator ranking for admissions selectivity.

There were no numeric rankings for overall program quality this inaugural year. Instead, U.S. News created non-numeric honor roll lists of online programs. There is one honor roll for online bachelor’s degree programs and one each for the master’s degree programs, excluding computer information technology. Each list includes programs that performed well across a series of numeric indicator rankings.

“The importance of online education will only continue to grow and it is something that U.S. News is excited to be a part of,” said Kelly. “We will continue developing how we evaluate online programs so that we can provide the best information we can to help people make their right choice.”

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