As we enter the 21st
Century, our world is rapidly changing all around us. Each day
presents new opportunities and challenges as what we learned
yesterday is no longer relevant today. What we learn today may
not be relevant tomorrow. Our changing environment is forcing
us to think and act from a system’s perspective so that
interdependence and integration is the key to success and
survival. The changes in society and our way of life are
impacting the future of our education system by exerting
pressure and forcing change both internally and externally.
Globalization, shifting demographics, scarcity of resources,
competition, new models of teaching and learning, and federal
and state requirements are all contributing factors and
drivers impacting the future of education. As a nation and a
community, can we and will we rise to meet these challenges so
that ALL children will learn and will be prepared for the
future?
More than ten million children are
at risk of school failure due to social, emotional, and health
issues. The following issues are some of the realities that
challenge today’s schools, educators, communities, and our
nation.
- Cultural Diversity
-- Nearly 20% of school-age children speak a language
other than English. Approximately 65% of America’s
population growth during the next 20 years is expected to
be Hispanic and Asian (U.S. Census, 2000).
- Unstructured Time --
Eight million children spend up to 25 hours per week
without adult supervision, alone, or with friends
(National Institute on Out-of-School Time, 2003). Research
shows that time spent “hanging out” with friends is a
more accurate predictor of teenage risk behavior and
school failure than income, race, or family structure
(Blum et al., 2000).
- Poverty -- In 2001, almost 12 million
children lived in poverty. From 2000 to 2001, the number
of children in extreme poverty grew from 4.8 million to
5.1 million, the first increase in eight years
(Children’s Defense Fund, 2002). Research demonstrates a
30-point variance in test scores for every $10,000 change
in household income (Schulte and Keating, 2001).
- Unaddressed Health Needs --
In 2001, almost 12.1% of all kids under the age of 18 had
no health insurance (Hoffman and Wang, 2003). We know that
uninsured children as compared to children with health
care are more likely to go without needed medical care.
This lack of preventive care often leads to a loss of
school time.
- Transience -- High student
transience is a major threat to academic achievement and
the school environment (Biernat and Jax, 2000). Students
who change schools frequently fall behind in their studies
and are more likely to be retained in grade (Fowler-Finn,
2001).
- Unsafe School Environments
-- In 2001, 30% of sixth through tenth grade students were
bullied (Nansel, et al., 2001). Disruptive and destructive
student behavior affects the entire school community as
“critical factors in student academic achievement”
(Barton et al., 1998).
- Overextended and Underresourced Schools
-- When school staff is overwhelmed by economic, physical,
and social challenges in the student population, it can
lead to lowered expectations from both educators and
students (MetLife, 2001).
We know that these problems and critical issues
cannot be solved by our schools and the educational system
alone. We need informed citizens that see schools as central
to making our communities a great place to live, learn, and
work and in meeting the challenges of the 21st
century. We need community leaders that chart the path to
excellence and lead for the good of all. School, community,
and family are inextricably joined and must work closely
together for the benefit of every child and all stakeholders.
Quality Learning’s
community leadership development solution, Developing
Community Leadership for the Knowledge Age, creates an
active network of informed, concerned citizens to guide the
future and growth of their community into the Knowledge Age
and the 21st century. Working and learning
together, participants enhance their leadership skills,
capacities, attitudes, and behaviors while they broaden their
understanding of community issues and the role that the
community plays in lifelong learning. This solution prepares
individuals to help create learning communities and schools of
excellence so that ALL children have access to relevant and
rigorous learning opportunities and resources that prepare
them for a successful future.
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