Education Reform and Funding

Carlos Aguirre

Duquette

26 September 2010

AP Government

Education Funding and Reform

Educational funding, as well as its reforming, has been an issue between the American Democratic and Republican parties for many years. Both parties have ideas on methods that may work in making a change for the better of education. However, both parties insist that their way of going about the issue is the best.

The Democratic party is of the belief, that education needs to be equal for all students, and that schools need to be made more affordable. Democrats, feel it necessary to provide standardized tests that are to promote learning and education rather than bureaucracy (a hierarchy of authority). In order to make schools more affordable, Democrats believe that the government needs to make college tuition tax deductible. If a student is to take out a student loan, Democrats believe that the interest rates need to be low, in order to ease the economic stress. The Democrats, believe that their way of going about the educational issues is best, because of the “No Child Left behind Act,” and Bush's inability to fully fund it. (gave $27 billion less than promised.) They also draw support from a study done by the college board in 2007 which showed that college students made over 60 percent more income as opposed to high school graduates.

Republicans believe that access for higher education and other benefits, need to be increased for the more qualified students. This includes the improvement of science and math eduction in colleges and universities. Republicans encourage students and parents to start education savings accounts. The Republican party, also is of the opinion that less government regulation will help with the pricing of higher education which continues to climb. The Republicans feel that their way is the proper way to go about eduction, because of the upcoming technological revolution as well as the global economy. They also feel that the the S. 336, (Educational Spending in Stimulus package) would not stimulate the economy but would give Democrats the ability to call education programs “underfunded.”

The Republican and Democratic parties, both want changes made to the ways that education is funded. Both give valid points on how the government should go about reforming it, as well as why it should be done the way they say. Although the methods of going about the matter are almost if not completely opposite, both are to be respected as well as considered as ways to better education, as well as educational institutions.

Bibliography:

http://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/Democratic_Party_Education.htm

http://www.ontheissues.org/celeb/Republican_Party_Education.htm

http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2009/gtalkingpoints020609.html