Educational legislation has never been an easy subject for discussion. Yet, more students, teachers, and academic staff are paying attention to this matter over time. Have you ever wondered how the concept of education has been changing over time?
With dozens of debates going on about the curriculums and evaluation systems, no right answer exists. While some aim to compare education in different countries, others argue for the child-centered school design. Once you’re interested in such a complex topic, let’s dive deeper into it to review what shaped American education over the last decades and what can be changed for the better.
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A Historical Glimpse
Let’s start with the American educational system, which has gone through numerous adjustments and rapid changes. Over the last centuries, such a system was open to discussion and was mostly shaped by influential pedagogs competent in their fields. During these times, the concepts of child-centered and inclusive education were introduced. But what about the last twenty years or so?
Well, since the Department of Education was established in 1980, it proposed a wide range of legislative acts aimed at making the system work even better. One of the most significant breakthroughs of the last twenty years is the No Child Left Behind Act. This act, passed in 2001, introduced standardized testing criteria. What’s more, it was supposed to set high standards for each student and any K-12 school. Although the program was slightly underfunded, it established a clear strategic direction for further changes.
While reviewing some other prominent legislations, Common Core stands out the most. This initiative unified English and Maths benchmarks, all the way from kindergarten through high school. Dozens of other bills and acts were passed, mostly aiming at increasing performance standards. Since the law review might be problematic, contacting Lawaspect to help you with all those legislative acts is highly advised. After all, essay writing services give you a decent insight into significant modern education law changes.
Okay, What About Other Countries?
Even though the US has the most prominent research universities and numerous notable colleges, the overall educational system is far from being ideal. According to industry experts, community schools often lack quality, whereas collegiate athletes’ concept only makes it worse for measuring performance standards. So, what countries have more advanced approaches to education?
Take Finland as an example. One of its recognizable features is a banding system, which places all students regardless of their capabilities in a single classroom. Such an environment, both at college and university levels, leads to healthy competition among all students. What is also unique is that any Finnish teacher emphasizes practice, but not homework. Thus, students are more often engaged in group projects and internships than essays and coursework assignments.
Another decent country to refer to is Denmark. Its government tends to spend a stunning 8% of GDP on education, making it one of the best-budgeted systems worldwide. Except for care from the government, the system has long-standing traditions of forming well-rounded curriculums. Students in class acquire dozens of hard and soft skills, regardless of their majors. Such an approach is handy in the globalized world, the part of which Denmark holds.
Why Such Discussions Matter?
It is no doubt that some students and teachers hesitate about the importance of discussing educational formats. Following efficient case studies from countries like Japan, Denmark, Finland, and South Korea helps acquire the best practices. Of course, we should consider the local context in the first place, but learning from the most progressive countries is worth trying.
In case you’re wondering about the practical importance of such discussions, ask any student holding a PhD diploma. Since all educational aspects are interconnected, a decent basic education is as essential as doctoral studies. This way, the biggest lesson the US should consider inevitably relates to acquiring efficient global practices. In such regard, any structural change should go through the legislative process. If you incorporate all such insights, you’d understand how educational laws for students are essential.
Final Remarks and Suggestions
Proper education is continually playing a massive role in our daily lives.
Even though we don’t always recognize its importance, both K-12 and higher education are essential for our progress. With dozens of legislative changes over the last decades, the Department of Education framed concrete goals for the entire system to move forward. Regardless of your role in shaping the future’s education, knowing these bills and acts is a must. In case if you’re still at school, sending feedback might also be a reliable option.
Compared to the most progressive educational systems globally, such as the one from Finland or Denmark, the US still has many lessons to learn. By adopting efficient and diverse practices and adapting them for the local context is a great approach. If you’re a law student, be sure to review the recent legislative acts and analyze them accordingly. After all, isn’t that obvious that structural changes on the fundamental level usually follow legal actions?
