Earlier this month, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development published a report measuring the literacy, numeracy and problem-solving abilities of people aged 16 to 65 from 24 countries. Americans were scored as weak to poor in all three areas, finishing ahead of only Italy and Spain in numeracy. The report concludes that while our foreign competitors are raising economic indicators like high school graduation rates from the previous generation, the U.S. has stood still. How can the U.S. buck this trend?

Prof. Dan Perlman (BIOL)

Think back to the best teacher you ever had. A teacher who believed that you could produce work you never thought possible-and kept after you until you actually produced it-or one who shared a passion that ignited something deep within you. I believe that such luminous learning experiences form the essence of education. Unfortunately, today's standardized-test-driven educational system forces our best teachers to give up their passions and focus on all-too-ordinary goals. I work with many excellent K-8 teachers, and see how the joy has evaporated from their jobs over the past 15 years. By attempting to teacher-proof the classroom, we have squeezed the excellence out of our very best teachers. How can we fix the U.S. education system? Nurture and develop great teachers and let them share their passions and demand the best from their students. Every child should have at least one or two outstanding teachers in her lifetime.

Prof. Dan Perlman (BIOL) is the associate provost of innovation in education.

Prof. Marya Levenson (ED)

The comparison of the U.S. academic results with those of other countries is more complicated than this summary indicates. As Julian Ryan points out in the Oct. 24, 2013 Atlantic Cities blog, "American education isn't mediocre, it's deeply unequal." On the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, Massachusetts was the highest scoring state (with math scores behind only Korea, Singapore, Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong) and outranked 42 systems, while Alabama outperformed only 19 educational systems. So, what should we do? Our country needs to do more to address issues of inequality other than relying primarily on schools to address the impact of poverty, including high drop- and push-out rates. Excellent and accessible preschooling would be a good first step. We need to prepare teachers (as we do at Brandeis) with rich liberal arts educations and strong pedagogical preparation, teachers who will inspire and motivate their students. We also must reduce the excessive testing which is narrowing curriculum and instruction and not preparing graduates with the creative, problem-solving skills they will need to lead our democracy in the future.

Prof. Marya Levenson (ED) is the Harry S. Levitan Director of Teacher Education and professor of the practice of education.

Kofi Hodge '15

The emphasis on the need to do well on standardized tests has prohibited many instructors from thoroughly teaching students skills necessary to excel on literacy, numeracy and problem-solving tests. Many things must be done in order to rectify the issues that plague the institution of schools. The teaching profession must be put on a pedestal, and the responsibility of educating should be recognized with more prestige. Teachers must be provided with adequate resources to provide valuable instruction, and students must be provided with teachers that have a wealth of cultural capital and experience. In addition, parent accountability must be as important as teacher accountability because the job of educating includes the parents and students as much as the teacher and the school. Under standards that don't rely on aggregated data, teachers would be able to incorporate lessons that stimulate cognitive ability and foster students' independent perspectives. This could potentially aid students on skills-based tests.

Kofi Hodge '15 is a Posse Scholar and an Education Studies major.

Stefani Gospodinova '14

A simple solution to this problem is a better allocation of funding. The majority of school systems in the United States are consistently under-funded, causing them to pay teachers lower salaries and cut programs from their curricula. Money does not solve all problems, but it does in the case of education. One must understand that countries such as Germany whose test scores are much higher than those of the United States do not provide nearly the same luxuries that school kids in the U.S. receive. They do not have after school activities, free lunches or free transportation, all of which are necessary in a country as big as ours. Our government is set up in a way that local units make decisions on education, as every district is so vastly different. They have the ability to locate the problem, but lack the money to solve it.

Stefani Gospodinova '14 is an International and Global Studies and American Studies major.