Cuurent+Trends+Futute+Implications

Current Trends and Developments == = = = [] = =Charter Schools= media type="youtube" key="_w1b-8FV2qI" height="225" width="382" align="left" media type="youtube" key="ToVLYZOwxDk" height="231" width="281" align="center"

[|Georgia Charter Schools Association]

[|Articles by Bruce Fuller]-on of the leading students of charter schools, sees the charter school movement as unfolding in tandem, chronologically and ideologically, with the school choice or voucher movement. Seen in this sense, the charter school movement is a radically decentralist attempt to correct the evils that have been imposed on parents and children by public schools so wrapped up in bureaucratic controls-federal regulations, state laws and mandates, and school district regulations-that they are often unable to deal effectively with the education of children in contemporary society.

=Fiscal Equalization=

Overview of the Recovery Act
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 ([|Recovery Act]) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th, 2009. It is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. The Act is an extraordinary response to a crisis unlike any since the Great Depression, and includes measures to modernize our nation's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need

=School Level Reforms= The Current Situation At this defining moment in our history, preparing our children to compete in the global economy is one of the most urgent challenges we face. We need to stop paying lip service to public education, and start holding communities, administrators, teachers, parents and students accountable. We will prepare the next generation for success in college and the workforce, ensuring that American children lead the world once again in creativity and achievement.

The Solution
We will recruit an army of new teachers and develop innovative ways to reward teachers who are doing a great job, and we will reform No Child Left Behind so that we are supporting schools that need improvement, rather than punishing them. After graduating high school, all Americans should be prepared to attend at least one year of job training or higher education to better equip our workforce for the 21st century economy. We will continue to make higher education more affordable by expanding Pell Grants and initiating new tax credits to make sure any young person who works hard and desires a college education can access it. One of the most critical times to influence learning in a child's life is the period before he or she reaches kindergarten. We will invest in early childhood education, by dramatically expanding Head Start and other programs to ensure that all of our young children are ready to enter kindergarten.
 * ===Improve K-12 schooling:===
 * ===Expand access to higher education:===
 * ===Make sure our children are prepared for kindergarten:===

=Teacher Education Reforms= media type="youtube" key="Bi4C_C-SoMw" height="344" width="425"

=Alternative Teacher Preparatory Programs= [|Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy] media type="youtube" key="hYh9AnwHsZc" height="344" width="425"

=NCATE National Teacher Certification= [|The National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education](NCATE) was founded in 1954 to accredit teacher certification programs at U.S. colleges and universities. NCATE is a council of educators created to ensure and raise the quality of preparation for their profession. NCATE is recognized by the [|U.S. Department of Education] as an accrediting institution. NCATE accreditation is specific to teacher education and is different from [|regional accreditation]

=NBPTS and Standardization= [|National Board for Professional Teaching Standards](NBPTS) is a [|nonpartisan], [|nonprofit organization] dedicated to promoting excellence in education. Founded in 1987, NBPTS improves teaching and student learning by enhancing overall educator effectiveness and recognizing and rewarding highly accomplished educators who meet high and rigorous standards. NBPTS develops and maintains advanced standards for educators and offers a national, [|voluntary][|[update]] assessment, National Board Certification, based on the NBPTS Standards. As of December 2009, more than 82,000 National Board Certified Teachers have been certified in the [|United States]. The NBPTS headquarters is located in [|Arlington, Va.][|[1]]

[|Article: Georgia Slashes Teacher Bonuses]

=Post Secondary Educational Issues= The importance of postsecondary education has increased significantly in the last decade. A high school diploma is no longer sufficient in the 21st century. In order to be successful in today’s global economy a person must receive some form of postsecondary education. And, the economic stability of the state is tied to citizens who are employed and productive. With this in mind, state legislatures have been working hard on issues related to postsecondary education funding, access, and accountability. However, the challenges facing postsecondary education are no longer limited to these traditional issues. The world of higher education is dramatically changing. States are rethinking the role of public support to higher education; new alternative providers have entered the marketplace; students want and need different things from higher education. The student population is more diverse than ever before -- many students are attending school part-time or are adult learners with different needs than traditional students. Some states are experiencing significant enrollment growth, while others face a declining student population. Yet, states want their systems of higher education to deliver high quality education to all students and be accountable to the public. As a result, states face multiple challenges in designing a system of higher education that will continue to be the best in the world.

=Economic Recession in the 21st Century= According to a vast majority of economists, this recession is the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The recovery is still probably months away and most now believe that America needs to rebuild its economy with new and innovative ideas and technologies made for the 21st century’s globalized economy. So, what must America do to recover from this recession and avert future recessions of this magnitude?

Investing in New Alternative and Renewable Energy Resources
For too long America has relied on cheap oil to fuel is economic success. This reliance has forced her to partner with some of the world’s most notorious dictatorships (i.e. Saudi Arabia, The Shaw of Iran, etc.) and has left the country vulnerable to economic catastrophe should the supply of oil be cut or its prices raised. Alternative energy would not only give America energy independence, but would also create thousands of jobs in an underdeveloped industry. Alternatives being developed today include: Although not all alternative energy resources are cheaper than oil at its present price, most are renewable and offer a sustainable supply of clean energy. Even though the price of crude has fallen some 60% in recent months, it does not change the fact that oil is a finite resource which is dwindling at an extraordinary pace. Oil reserves may last for another century, but cheap oil will be a relic of history within the next 20 years.
 * Solar
 * Wind
 * Bio-Diesel
 * Clean Coal
 * Hydroelectric
 * Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Investing in Education and Making College Affordable
America became a world leader thanks in large part to the brilliant minds that have inhabited its borders. Today, however, America is falling behind to other developing nations in the math and science skills critical for success in the 21st century. For years, education has been put off by politicians in favor of quick, cheap policies that do little for the American economy in the long run (i.e. cutting education funding to fund pet projects). In order for America’s economy to succeed in the future, the country will need a highly educated workforce to manage the increasingly complex systems being developed today. A high school education is no longer sufficient for the 21st century workforce. More and more of the nation’s jobs require a bachelor’s degree as the minimum education requirement. A college education, however, has become increasingly more expensive, and due to this new recession, unattainable for many Americans.

Education must be considered a national priority if America is to make a long term recovery. Washington must institute new programs that make college affordable or even free to the vast majority of Americans. Countries in Europe, such as France, already subsidize a college education for all of their citizens. While America may not be able to make college free for all Americans, it cannot afford to have an under-educated populace if it wishes to remain the world’s technological superpower.

Drafting New Regulations for the 21st Century’s Globalized Economy
World leaders across the planet blame America for the current global economic crisis because of the country’s lack of a modern regulatory system. While these leaders do share a great deal of the burden as well, the points they make are valid. Many of America’s financial regulations were implemented in the 1930s and do not reflect the current challenges being faced in today’s economy. The country must reassess the risks of doing business in a global economic system and develop a regulatory system that safeguards the world from a future economic collapse while still upholding the capitalist principles this nation was founded on. Although the road to recovery will not be easy, it must be done the right way if America is to remain the thriving nation that all others aspire to be.