Only 32% of Americans have a college degree. A college degree today is the educational equivalent of a high school diploma of 30 years ago”, with some exceptions (those few families who can afford a high quality private college preparatory high school education for their kids). High schools are producing a ‘poor graduate product’. This also applies to some parochial and private schools.
If the above statements are true and apply to the vast majority of people then it really means that only 32% of Americans today have achieved the educational attainment of those who earned a High School Diploma 30 years ago.
So what happened during those 30 or so years?
1) Information has increased. There has been an explosion of knowledge, especially in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. But also in the humanities to some extent. We have also realized that there is a lot we haven’t taught our children that we should be teaching. For example, students who do not meet the requirements or lag behind are promoted along with those who do. We need to do a better job of identifying those students early so as to provide more remedial instruction, in order to stop this pernicious practice. Its creating an underclass of what I call ‘functional illiterates.’
2) College tuitions have become unaffordable for most lower and middle income families. Unless, of course, students enter into debt. Debt that will hobble their future success.
3) Based on #2 there is a financial incentive to skip college. Those who skip college to learn a craft or a trade can earn just as much or more than a recent college graduate with virtually no debt. But they are not ‘educationally well rounded’ individuals.
What are the solutions? Here’s just a few:
A- DO NOT DEFUND PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION: On the contrary, provide better incentives — more funding for elementary and secondary schools to expand curricula, attract better teachers, particularly in low and middle income areas.
B- PAY TEACHERS: what their worth in today’s dollars (in my opinion— at least $100,000.00 with potential to earn more based on fulfilling Masters degrees or continuing education requirements.
C – ELIMINATE TENURE: (Its an outdated practice and serves as a disincentive to continuing medical education.
D – Provide incentives for students to add 2 more years to their ‘high school’ education (i.e. free 2 year tuition at a community college?). Make a 4 year College education more affordable.
Finally, we must learn to think about education not as just any other expense but as a critical investment in the future success of our children and our Society.
