Tests Prove Needs of Classroom, Teachers Overlooked

The most important tool we can give our children is a good education. However, an international test has proven America’s brightest students to be lagging behind their counterparts around the world. As parents, we know our children can do better; we know American students should be No. 1.

I am a strong believer in public education and a product of the California public school system. I sent my four children to public school with confidence that they would receive a solid education. However, times have changed. The needs of the classroom and teachers are being overlooked, and the proof is in the recent test scores.

The Third International Math and Sciences Study was given to students in 21 nations. Out of those, American high school seniors were 16th in general science, 19th in general math skills and last in physics. What’s worse, only our top 14%--our very best students--were qualified to take the math test, and they still had disappointing results.

In addition, the older American students got, the worse their test performance. Fourth-graders did well in math and science but eighth graders received less than average marks. Performance declined further by 12th grade.

American students should not be at the bottom of the academic barrel, especially considering the billions of dollars we pump into the education system each year. There are a couple of core reasons students are underachieving.

Although the United States boasts some of the most dedicated teachers, research shows we need more of these seasoned and knowledgeable instructors in our classrooms.

We also need to ensure that all educators are well-educated. But it’s not only basic skills some lack; many also fail to master the subject they teach. Almost one-third of math teachers and half of physical science teachers did not major in their subject in college. Many also lack upper-division course credit in their subject matter. We must have higher expectations for all teachers if we want better results from students.

That’s why I recently introduced the Teacher Investment and Enhancement Act to encourage secondary-school teachers to improve their knowledge by offering them up to an annual $4,000 tax credit for continuing education in the subjects they teach, to help offset tuition costs. This is not to fund a higher degree but to polish and advance teachers’ knowledge in their subject area.

Lack of basic resources, such as textbooks, has proven to be another national problem. The Assn. of American Publishers and the National Education Assn. found that 54% of California teachers were not provided enough books to send home with students. And teachers have told of dipping into their own pockets to buy school supplies for students.

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What is keeping classrooms from having the best or even basic resources? The answer is simple: bureaucracy.

The House Education Committee estimates that only about 60 cents out of every dollar makes it into the classroom. The rest is spent on administrative costs. It’s very clear we need less money in the boardroom and more money in the classroom if we want to see our students achieve.

Congress took strong leadership on this issue through a program called Education at a Crossroads. Members, including myself, held field hearings and listened to what constituents had to say about the state of our schools.

Parents and teachers stressed the need for more local control, parental involvement and classroom resources. They decried the waste of education dollars on bureaucratic administrative costs.

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In response, Congress passed a House resolution that encourages that at least 90 cents of each federal education dollar reach the classroom directly. This means smaller classrooms, so children with special-education needs will have the attention they require. It means more reading specialists, updated textbooks and more experienced teachers. It also means better grades and brighter futures.

With the constant national focus on students who are not achieving, gifted children are often overlooked. Especially with the dumbing down of curriculum, gifted and talented children are easily bored. In hopes of stimulating the minds and development of these special students, I have introduced the Gifted and Talented Students Education Act.

This legislation would authorize $160 million for block grants to each state to provide more challenging educational programs for gifted students. The money would also provide advanced learning materials, identify gifted students and offer training to administrators and teachers.

Every day we read about failing education and plummeting test scores. But what this shows is not so much that students are failing as that our educational system is failing students.

America has some of the smartest students and best teachers in the world. It’s time to empower them with the tools for a better education, leading us to a better and smarter America.