By Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson
Given the current state of our economy, the United States cannot afford to continue the descent in the quality of education its students receive. If we are to secure our future and remain a competitive nation, we must make significant improvements in our educational system. A failure to do so will have drastic consequences for long-range economic prosperity.
The U.S. is ranked ninth globally in the number of young people who are enrolled in colleges and universities. We are fifteenth in the number of university degrees awarded annually.
Our country continues to fail young people from economically challenged families. The numbers of young people from low-income families that attend college are dismal. The system is leaving too many disadvantaged students behind, pushing the American dream beyond their grasp.
There are a number of areas that must be addressed, but I strongly believe that we must initially focus on our youngest students. Once those in elementary and secondary schools are equipped with solid educational foundations, they will excel academically and be prepared to join a sustainable and reliable workforce when they graduate from college, university or trade school.
We must also provide our teachers with adequate resources so that they are able to expose students to new ideas and concepts that otherwise would elude them. We must emphasize to young students that post-secondary education or career technical training is essential to their success, and the continued competitiveness of our country.
Agencies such as NASA and the National Science Foundation should be commended for their efforts to excite and cultivate our next generation of innovators. President Obama has stated that our goal as a nation should be to have the highest percentage of college graduates in the world by 2020. This should be a top priority.
Additionally, we must make education affordable. We should not burden young people with insurmountable debt that deters them from pursuing an education. As a member of Congress, I have fought to protect the Pell Grant Program, and for increased funding to community colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. I strongly support the Department of Education’s “Race to the Top” program, which makes grants available to those states that demonstrate a commitment to reform.
As reforms in education evolve, we must pay particular attention to training that is available in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). A degree in engineering, for instance, can provide a bright future for students who decide to pursue that discipline. Ursula Burns, who heads the Xerox
Corporation, has an engineering degree. Successful careers await those who study science, mathematics and technology as well.
No doubt many of our young people will complain that “STEM” study is difficult. Yet, during my years in elected office, I have witnessed that greatness requires rigorous determination. Our students will discover that the rewards consistent with superior academic preparation are plentiful.
The very backbone of our nation is a learned, visionary and dedicated workforce, possessed with exceptional skills and talents. These are the characteristics of those who made America the most potent industrial and intellectual power in the world.
An educational system that is revolutionary in its thinking, planning and implementation will produce such men and women. That is our need. That is what we must demand!
