It could be said that a good education in our childhood years is very important, as it lays a strong foundation for the rest of our lives. Some people may think that when children are well educated from the onset, they are more likely to go onto college and have some form of career, and as a result, benefit their state and the country at large. Therefore, should the government put an emphasis on childhood education to guarantee that there is equal opportunity, regardless of the child’s family’s circumstances?
I strongly believe that the government should guarantee a good education for all children. In 2015, the U.S. Senate replaced the No Child Left Behind federal K-12 law to the Every Student Suceeds Act (Camera, 2015). The Education Secretary Arne Duncan stated: “This [new] law offers the flexibility to find the best local solutions [and ensures] that students are making progress” (Camera, 2015). And President Obama stated that: “With this bill, we reaffirm that fundamentally American ideal—that every child, regardless of race, income, background, the zip code where they live, deserves the chance to make of their lives what they will” (US Department of Education, 2015).
The Every Student Succeeds Act is an advanced program which builds on the major achievements of dedicated students, parents, communities and educators, over the last few years. This strategy of ensuring children receive a good education has shown positive results. For example: at the present time: “high school graduation rates are at all-time highs [and] dropout rates are at historic lows. And more students are going to college than ever before” (US Department of Education, 2015). These outstanding results act as a strong foundation to generate more successful strategies. And the ultimate aim is to increase children’s educational opportunities and ameliorate the outcomes of students under the Every Student Succeeds Act.
- Camera, Lauren (2015). Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/12/09/congress-
replaces-no-child-left-behind-shifts-power-to-states - US Department of Education (2015). Retrieved from: http://www.ed.gov/essa?src=rn
