Education Amendment Essay -- Education

Over the years, the federal government has steadily been increasing its control of public education in the United States. The most notable developments of the last decade include the No Child Left Behind Act off 2001 and the ED Recovery Act, part of President Obama’s comprehensive recovery plan. As of September 30, 2010, $97.4 billion dollars was allocated under the ED Recovery Act (Department of Education). With the significant increase in federal interference, the American public should expect positive results. Instead, schools are faced with the same problems they had before the increase in federal interest and, in addition, even more problems arise. Federal involvement in education wastes billions of dollars every year while creating an education system that exists to promote politics, not education. It is time for the federal government to permanently cease its involvement in education. The federal government has been pouring money into the education system for decades. With the additional support the states have been receiving, student achievement and opportunities should be increasing. Instead, school districts are cutting all but the basic programs and achievement remains stagnant. Federal spending per student has tripled since 1970, even when adjusted for inflation (Coulson), but test scores haven’t changed (McCluskey). The only change that was more than 1% was in science, and those scores indicated a drop in scores, not the expected increase (Coulson). Federal money is going down the drain, and the states seem content to keep it that way because it lifts the burden of improving their own schools. This waste of money should not continue. The fundamental premise behind federal control of education is that every child... ...tion. Now it is weak, but it can again be the best in the world. The federal government must cease to involve itself in the field of education. Only then will American students begin to receive the education they deserve. Works Cited Coulson, Andrew J. â€Å"Has Federal Involvement Improved America’s Schools?†. Cato Institute, 2009. Web. 30 November 2010. Department of Education. â€Å"Recovery Act Highlights†. U.S. Department of Education, no date. Web. 30 November 2010. McCluskey, Neal. â€Å"No Federal Failure Left Behind†. Cato Institute, 2004. Web. 30 November 2010. McCluskey, Neal. â€Å"Why We Fight: How Public Schools Cause Social Conflict†. Policy Analysis No. 587. Cato Institute, 2007. Web. 30 November 2010. Romanowski, Michael H. â€Å"What You Don’t Know Can’t Hurt You: Textbook Omissions and 9/11†. The Clearing House; 82:6 (August 2009). Web. 30 November 2010.