“If a system is corrupt, then the people who adhere to the system, and are incentivized by that system, are not criminals. They are victims. The system itself must be tried.”
David C.
This article’s contention is that public education shifted from a public service to a public business. During the 1990’s, National and State (California) focus on public education brought about a new ideology that class sizes were too large. The new school of thought was that students would benefit and learn more if classrooms were dramatically reduced in size.
The California legislation stood strong in agreement and a shortage of full credentialed teachers was declared. Teacher’s salaries concurrently fell to approximately $3500 monthly during the 1990’s.
The solution: Emergency teaching credentials for multiple and single subjects would be issued within the K-12 public educational system. Teacher’s salaries also rose to approximately $4500 monthly to encourage people to enter public education as a career. The late 1990’s legislation increased the demand for new teachers. It relied on teachers, without the need of obtaining full teaching credentials.
In 2001, the federal government passed the No Child Left Behind Act, or NCLB. The policy on public education became more business oriented than ever before. NCLB provided a means to “supply” the “demand” for teachers in public education. Other incentives included Apple Grants for people to enter the teaching field.
NCLB allowed teachers to work as public educators as long as they were “highly qualified” in core academic subjects by the end of 2005–2006. Failure to comply put school districts at risk of losing federal funding. In California, teachers with a full credential and/or in an internship program during their first three years of teaching met the NCLB requirements.
Simply put, it was easier to become a teacher and earn more money than ever before. This made it a good business decision to enter public education. Altogether, forgetting public education was ever a service to their communities. People flocked to become teachers and were well paid. Most teachers only worked 10 months per year. If teachers worked summer school, it meant more money they’d be paid.
A wave of teaching credential programs offered a “Masters Degree in Education” concurrently while obtaining a single subject teaching credential. The result continues with academic inflation and a large emphasis on standardized testing for students. Now credential programs include not only masters degrees, but PhD titles to those in the business of public education.
Currently, USC and UCLA extension programs offer administrators programs to collaborate in groups, meet once or twice a week, and walk away with a Masters or PhD title in education. Just like the economy has again begun entering a recession, academic inflation is leading our public education system into an academic recession. This is the result of transforming a public service to a business. The more our children fail, the more our taxes will go towards “fixing” a problem which arguably, was created. Why? Because it’s good for business.
Today, many guidance counselors, administrators, superintendents, and board members operate as if they’re CEO’s operating Fortune 500 companies. Sadly, forgetting their purpose of public educators as civil servants to their communities.
-Jack Camarena
unpublishedjack.com 