America, We Have an Education Crisis
The Science of Learning Can Help
Consider these statistics: 40%-60% — that’s the percentage range of first-year college students who require remedial classes in English, math, or both;¹ 57% percent — that’s the percentage of students who graduate after starting college;² 38th and 24th — those are the rankings held by our high-schoolers in math and science, respectively, compared to other advanced industrial nations;³ 60% and 67% — those are the percentages of fourth- and eighth-graders, respectively, who are failing to reach proficiency in math.³ The numbers are even more alarming for low-income, first-generation, and minority students.
America, it’s time to be honest with ourselves and admit that we have an education problem — if not a full-blown crisis — on our hands, the likes of which is preventing us from reaching our full potential both individually and collectively. Sure, there are some wonderful schools and excellent teachers out there, but something’s amiss when 50% of college students need to take remedial classes.
How Did We Get Here?
How did a country as vibrant and prosperous as ours find itself struggling to educate its people? Why are so many students dropping out of high school and college? The causes, of course, are multifaceted and include (but are not…
