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Outline:What Needs to be Done to Reform Public Education in the United States
Alexis Beatty
11/17/2021
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What Needs to be Done to Reform Public Education in the United States
Introduction
Definition of education reforms in the context of U.S government
Importance of incorporates reforms to ensure that the quality and type of public
education gets better than what is being offered to the people.
Thesis: Intelligent accountability and alignment of resources, sustained leaderships and
related long-term visions can be done to reform the public education system in the
United States
Body
Point 1
Point: Incorporating long term visions in the education system can help the education
process of the united states get better than it is at the moment.
Explanation: Such will help to resolve the presently eroding education system as a
result of poor educational foundation.
Citation; “educational foundation of our society are presently being erodated by rising
tide of mediocreicy that threatens our future as a nation and people” National
Commission on Excellence in Education (1983).
Point 2
Point: Creating sustained leaderships and ambitious standards can help in reforming the
education system in the United States.
Argument: good leaderships and standards leads to conducive environment and strong
foundational knowledge and effective corrdination, which is essential in this regrad.
Citation: “Cordination create synergies by bringing together different stakeholders in a
particular policy area, and to offer citizens seamless rather than fragmented access to
services” Christensen & Lægreid (2007).
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Point 3
Point; Effective use of resources, alignment and coherence in the education sector can
lead to the reformed education system
Argument: Transformational education system in the United States requires to embrace
effective use of resources, alignment and coherence
Citation: “Her study is based on a three-year analysis of a Latino high school where a
history of scarce material resources obscures an even greater scarcity of caring for and
caring about the capacity of these children to learn.” Williamson, J. (2018).
Point 4
Point: intelligent accountability of the educational resources, both in the public secors
and private institutions can help in transforming public education in the United States
Argument: Intelligent accountability of educational resources helps in reforming public
education by ensuring that resources are utilized to the optimal level without any
wastage.
Citation: “For many conservative critics of education, it is the very combination of
models taken from the corporate sector and mechanisms of strict accountability that will
provide the engine to drive educational reform in more effective directions.”
Williamson, J. (2018).
Conclusion
Summary of points 1, 2,3 & 4
Restate the thesis
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References
Christensen, T., & Lægreid, P. (2007). The whole‐of‐government approach to public sector
reform. Public administration review, 67(6), 1059-10.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2007.00797.x
National Commission on Excellence in Education. (1983). A nation at risk: The imperative
for educational reform. The Elementary School Journal, 84(2), 113-130.
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/461348
Williamson, J. (2018). What Washington means by policy reform (pp. 18-23). Routledge.
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429498893-4/washington-
means-policy-reform-john-williamson
ENGL 101
Page 1 of 2
PROPOSAL CLASSICAL ARGUMENT ESSAY ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
In Module 3, you will write a proposal argument essay from your Proposal Classical Argument
Thesis/Outline Assignment that you submitted in Module 2. Your textbook readings for the first
modules of the term have taught you the importance of being able to develop an argument with a
clear thesis statement and sound academic evidence. These are skills that you will use in your
academic coursework that prepare you with critical thinking skills for the workplace environment.
The assignment will allow you to practice using the proper documentation style guidelines for your
major course of study. Correct documentation style usage is a critical skill for academic and
professional writing to avoid plagiarism. This first essay in the course will provide a foundation
from which you can grow your academic writing with the input that you receive from your
instructor.
INSTRUCTIONS
Review chapter 13 in the textbook for the sample proposal classical argument essay written in the
documentation style for your major course of study. Using the sample and your outline from
Module 2, write a proposal essay using the Classical model of argument in which you address the
question in the prompt. The research sources for this essay have been provided for you in our
course. Any additional sources that you may choose to use must be credible academic sources.
You may include biblical support, but your biblical support does not count in the required citations.
Prompt: What needs to be done to reform public education in the United States?
Write a 1,000–1,200-word proposal essay using the Classical Model of argument in which
you address the question in the prompt. (Title page, citations, and reference section should
not be included in word count.)
Document your sources correctly according to your documentation style (Current APA,
MLA, or Turabian).
Integrate a total of at least 4 quotations, summaries and/or paraphrases from at least 3
credible academic sources to support your thesis statement and provide opposing
arguments.
Helpful Hints:
Chapter 13 in Module 2 includes sample student essays for a proposal (Classical) essay
written in each of the documentation styles (APA, MLA, and Turabian).
Review the Proofreading Checklist (below) to understand the content that you must include
in your essay assignment.
Review the Proposal Classical Argument Essay Assignment Grading Rubric before
submitting your essay assignment.
Learn Application
Successful
Needs
Revision
1. Introduction: Establishes the context of the proposal and presents
the essay’s thesis
2. Thesis statement: Clearly states your debatable proposal argument
that includes a feasible solution for the problem
ENGL 101
Page 2 of 2
3. Explanation of the problem: Identifies the problem and explains
why it needs to be solved
4. Explanation of the solution: Proposes a solution and explains how
it will solve the problem
5. Evidence in support of the solution: Presents support for the
proposed solution; integrates a total of at least 4 quotes, summaries,
and/or paraphrases from at least 3 credible sources
6. Benefits of the solution: Explains the positive results of the
proposed course of action
7. Refutation of opposing arguments: Addresses objections to the
proposal
8. Conclusion: Reinforces the main point of the proposal; includes a
strong concluding statement
9. Contains pathos (emotional) appeals, ethos (values/belief) appeals,
and/or logos (factual) appeals as appropriate
10. Title reflects issue and proposal information
11. Uses only third person pronouns (all first and second person
pronouns have been removed)
12. If using current APA format, contains properly formatted, title,
abstract, and References page.
If using MLA format, contains a properly formatted Works Cited
page
If using Turabian format, contains a properly formatted title page
and Bibliography page
13. Uses signal phrases and appropriate transitions
14. Double spaced; Font is 12-point Times New Roman
15. References/Works Cited/ Bibliography page includes all sources
cited within the body of the essay
16. Checked spelling, grammar/mechanics
When you are satisfied with the quality of your essay, submit in the course via the Turnitin link
for grading. Include your degree program and whether you are using current MLA, APA, or
Turabian in the document’s title when submitting your essay.
IMPORTANT: Fully cite all quotations, summaries, and paraphrases used within your essay, or
those excerpts will be regarded as plagiarism and will result in a “0” on your essay and possible
course failure.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the SafeAssign plagiarism tool.
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What Needs to be Done to Reform Public Education in USA
Student’s Name
Course Name and Code
Lecturer’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date
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Introduction
Reforms are very important in any area or sector within a given jurisdiction. They sought
to make improvement in the critical element of the systems being reformed. Education is not an
exception as it requires the reforms to achieve excellence in terms of teaching and leadership in
the education sector. The education system of the United States just like any other country requires
the transformation to achieve the best level possible. The reforms are historically motivated to
reflect the current needs of society.
The current public education system of the United States is faced with lots of challenges
that needs to be addressed amicably. Some of these problems include; deficits in funding for the
public education sector. The funding for the public education system comes from the local and the
national governments. There have been challenges with technology in education especially in the
public education. For example, there have been cases of teaching exams using smart phones and
easy access to computers which negatively impacts learning.
Addressing these issue will require reforms to ensure that the quality of education being
offered. These reforms will require all the stakeholders to incorporate their efforts towards
achieving the best quality. The importance of these reforms will not only influence the lives of the
individual students but the entire community. The kind of education being achieved by the public
education system or the private education reflects the quality of life in the society. This paper
focuses on the intelligent accountability and alignment of resources, sustained leaderships and
related long term visions which can be done to reform the public education system in the United
States.
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What Needs to be Done to Reform Public Education in USA
Incorporating Long Term Visions
Incorporating long-term visions in the education system can help the education process of
the United States get than it is at the moment. The current public education system is subject to
frustration and hopelessness amongst the public. The national sense behind frustrations being
witnessed with the public can be termed as both dimming of personal expectations and fearfulness
of losing the culture of the United States. At a personal level, the stakeholders like parents, teachers
and students feel that the promise of public education is not being kept. For example, the delay
witnessed in the release of the education funds to the public education system.
Some of the long-term visions that should be incorporated to ensure that quality of
education makes the nation proud and optimistic about the future of the generation include having
the needs and wants of the American child at heart and purpose. The government should have the
policy to ensure that the giving out of the education funds to the schools is done on time to meet
the requirements for learning in these institutions. When the funds are received on time, the schools
will have to plan their activities in order. The students, teachers and parents or any other
stakeholder will not be inconvenienced. Other visions include; developing a curriculum that does
not profile the institutions in terms of ownership, i.e., private or public, raising awareness about
the education as it is easy to understand when you know about it.
The long-term visions in education will help resolve the eroded education system resulting
from a poor educational foundation. The long term will have to be costly in terms of transitions
but eventually lead to the desired results. These visions will have to reduce or eliminate a different
kind of mediocrity, frustrations and hopelessness. “educational foundation of our society is
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presently being eroded by the rising tide of mediocracy that threatens our future as a nation and
people” National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983).
Creating Sustained Leaderships and Ambitious Standards
Good leadership and standards lead to a conducive environment. When the leaders know
what they are mandated to do in the proper manner possible, the results will be excellent. For
instance, the coordination between the government and the school heads can help solve different
kinds of these problems. The involvement of the heads in designing core activities of the public
education system will play a key role in having a system that everyone feels satisfied. When
everyone is satisfied, they become very optimistic and put their efforts into ensuring that the system
works even perfectly.
Foundational solid knowledge obtained from effective leadership is very critical in
ensuring that the reforms are achieved. Knowing the current position in terms of impacts and
effects of the public education system on our society will help design a change that is for the better.
The foundational knowledge will be used in sustaining the reforms to ensure that they have
achieved the goals of the reforms. It is always easier to manage the reforms when leaders can be
held accountable for their actions.
The coordination between different stakeholders and the leaderships involved will go a
long way to create an environment that ensures excellence. “Coordination creates synergies by
bringing together different stakeholders in a particular policy area, and to offer citizens seamless
rather than fragmented access to services” Christensen & Lægreid (2007). Therefore, leadership
would be very crucial in ensuring reforms in the public education system.
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Effective Usage of Resources
Resource utilization is an essential part of the overall management of the school or any
institution. The public education system might not have as many resources as those owned by the
private education system. They majorly rely on support from the government. For instance, the
government must fund most of its activities so that it can continue operating. Therefore, it is
essential that the little resources they can gather are put into practical use and minimal wastage to
satisfy the quality of excellence required.
The stakeholders like teachers, parents and students must ensure that the resources are put
to their practical uses. For example, the teachers need to be in any position within the school to
protect and safeguard any teaching material they are being provided with by whether the
government on the institutions. The students and the parents must also ensure that the school
resources are well taken care of and being put into their practical use.
The transformational educational system of the United States requires that different
stakeholders embrace effective use of resources, alignment and coherence. The resources must be
used to bring a result that will leave a mark that can be tracked. Therefore, each person has to play
their role in ensuring the best is achieved. According to (William, 2018), she analyzed Latino High
schools, which have been associated with scarcity of material resources. The scarcity of the
resources obscured more excellent caring for and caring about the capacity of the children to learn.
Therefore, it must be taken as the responsibility of everybody to take good care of the resources
available and ensure that they are used effectively.
Intelligent Accountability of Educational Resources
Intelligent accountability makes the stakeholders fully accountable for the trust that they
have been accorded. The accountability will only be intelligent when the stakeholders are judged
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based on what they have already known. For example, it would be considered intelligent
unaccountability when the school head cannot account for the expenditure of the school within a
calendar year even when it is in his authority to be aware. The other teachers can also be held
accountable based on the performance of the students. The performance can also be considered
from the support given by the parents.
There must be people assigned to ensure that the quality given in the institutions is the best.
The quality assurance team should offer a check-in regularly to ensure that the resources are being
put into the best optimal usage. When accountability is used in checking the tracks, the running of
the institutions will be done smoothly. Just like it is said, “For many conservative critics of
education, it is the very combination of models taken from the corporate sector and mechanisms
of strict accountability that will provide the engine to drive educational reform in more effective
directions.” Williamson, J. (2018).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the reforms in the public education system are significant in ensuring that
the quality of education is at its best level. The quality will reflect the kind of life that the society
will have to lead. Some of the things that can be done to ensure the reforms are achieved include
incorporating long term visions in the public educational system like on-time funding from the
government, creating sustained leadership and ambitious standards, effective utilization of
resources, alignment and coherence in the education sector as well as ensuring intelligent
accountability. The results from the reforms should offer a better alternative that can create a
system full of optimistic individuals.
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References
Christensen, T., & Lægreid, P. (2007). The whole‐of‐government approach to public sector reform.
Public administration review, 67(6), 1059-10.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2007.00797.x
National Commission on Excellence in Education. (1983). A nation at risk: The imperative for
educational reform. The Elementary School Journal, 84(2), 113-130.
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/461348
Williamson, J. (2018). What Washington means by policy reform (pp. 18-23). Routledge.
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429498893-
4/washingtonmeans-policy-reform-john-willi
