re: how can we improve our educational system?

What you just described is the city of New Orleans pre Katrina.

Well for one, here in BR, the bussing policy approved by a federal court pretty well destroyed community schools. As I understand it. Moreover, the federal programs that have made the local districts financially dependent on them, has damaged if not destroyed the individual districts autonomy. I don't blame the Feds for all the issues facing education, but I dont see them as the answer either. As for what's wrong with our educational system in general, well it doesn't seem to be working. If you disagree, correct me. I'll sit back and wait for your response.

Is "not working" as nebulous as "a community that cares about education"?
By not working I mean students today seem to lack basic reading comprehension, grammar, and math skills relative to previous generations.

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Autonomy is not always the right choice. Federal regulations and financial oversight help create a necessary equilibrium in order to prevent gross misinformation and dangerous ideals from being taught to unprotected school children.

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Well what makes you think the Feds are better suited to decide these things than the local community (parents) whose children are the ones learning it?
And what exactly are "dangerous ideals"? Creationism? Evolution? Capitalism? What makes you think I'd want Reagan or Clinton, or some bureaucrat deciding what is "dangerous" rather than my own community?

You are correct regarding some of my neighbors!
As for a source, I don't have one to site at the moment. My statement is based on information from both educators and parents via the news or articles I've read and my own experience with 18-20 year old employees. Granted, it's not scientific. If you can site a source to refute me please do so.

You can't make kids care. The ones who want to learn do learn. You can give two kids the same conditions and get drastically different results,

Nothing is wrong with standardized tests, the testing has gone way overboard and the emphasis on getting scores up has replaced true education. Look at the increased number of perfect scores on SATs, it's not an indicator of academic prowess any longer but rather an example that people can be trained to test.

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Teachers would really prefer the kids that don't want to be there to be removed.

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These people should not be teachers.

The best way to improve out education system would be to somehow make learning "cool". I liked to learn and did really well in school. Others didn't think it was the cool thing to do and they used their time on other things. Gotta make school, cool.

When you have a few generations back to back that would rather party than raise their kids, this is what happens.

You're right. Have to make school cool. How do you do that? Provide a refundable tax credit to families with kids who grade/score at high levels.

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...if students would go to school from 7:30-5pm and have about 2 hrs of homework after and if summer was cut by about 75%, then there would be a drastic change in the overall knowledge they would retain. There's a reason Asian's outperform us so dramatically in the classroom. Americans go to school, on avg, 180 days a yr. Japanese go to school, on avg, 243 days a yr. Is that a coincidence? America's issues with education are culturally engrained. We are a lazy society when compared to many other nations and because of that, we are not as smart. Good luck telling teachers that the solution to the problem (aside from parents) is cutting their summers to 1/4 the length they typically would be.

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I agree with most of this. Though I don't agree with going longer hours with extra homework, I do think it's absurd that we give kids a two month break - plus a week for Thanksgiving, two weeks for Christmas, and a week for spring break - and then expect them to perform at the highest level in the world.

I would support a summer "break" that was more field trip oriented. Or make the summer session more of an outdoor learning experience with science experiments, community activities, and history lessons. Funding would be really difficult though.

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Privatization

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In the free market, competition is fierce and a select few usually reap the most benefits. Not good for education where we want every child to be taught how to function and contribute in our society.

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Trade school programs need to be supported and encouraged in high school after sophomore year

Find a way to ease up many of the restrictions and law suits threatening teachers and schools for every little thing.

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Definitely agree. Also we as a society need to remove the stigma of working a trade. Where I used to work, there was a county tech school that students could apply during their sophomore year. Guess what kids applied? Special ed students, ESL students, and students who barely passed each class. Everyone else viewed the tech school as a place for stupid people to go to.

That type of condescension isn't surprising though. How much intellectual respect do people have for plumbers, welders, and mechanics?

Hey you keep adding shite!

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frick Tenure. Tenure is one of the most insane things ever.

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Yes and no. Teachers technically don't receive tenure just due process but that's a semantics argument. Teachers should be given due process because of the fragility of funding and the demand for so many extra curriculars.

When I worked as a teacher, I had a new principal come in and ask me to coach a sport. I was not a coach. No coaching potential. No coaching desire. He said to my face, "If I could get the 3pm teachers like you out of here, we'd be much better off!" I was nominated for TOY twice and I put a lot of effort into improving my teaching and knowledge of my subject. But since I didn't want to blow a whistle, I was deemed a hindrance to the quality of the school.

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Overturn most of the school boards everywhere

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Yeah and simplify their roles. It's crazy that the school board can have a million+ dollar salary budget while doing nothing but sit in an office and think of bullshite for teachers to do.

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Increase pay for teachers and demand qualifications.

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Yes and no. Teachers are paid just fine considering they work 182 days a year. Plenty of benefits, time off and the ability to be home by 330. Get a master's degree and a teacher will make $50k by the time they're vested in the retirement system.

Qualifications definitely need some work but I think that's at the college level. My education classes were a joke. Just a few hurdles to sit on while my "credentials" for certification were built.