Name: Edgie Fabillar

Schedule: Saturday (1:30-7:30Pm)

Subject: Ed 611 Current Issues and Problems in Education

Final Examination

A. Cite ten current issues and problems in education and elucidate further
as to its implications or impact from lowest level to the highest
educational level.

1. Technology in education
Technology in education is a powerful movement that is sweeping through
schools nationwide. After all, today's students have grown up with digital
technology and expect it to be part of their learning experience. But how
much of a role should it play in education?
Proponents point out that educational technology offers the potential to
engage students in more active learning, as evidenced in flipped
classrooms. It can facilitate group collaboration and provide instant
access to up-to-date resources. Teachers and instructors can integrate
online surveys, interactive case studies, and relevant videos to offer
content tailored to different learning styles. Indeed, students with
special needs frequently rely on assistive technology to communicate and
access course materials.

2. Common Core

The Common Core State Standards is a set of academic standards

for math and language arts that specify what public school students
are expected to learn by the end of each year from kindergarten
through 12th grade. Developed in 2009, the standards were designed
to promote equity among public K-12 students. All students would
take standardized end-of-year tests and be held to the same
internationally benchmarked standards. The idea was to institute a
system that brought all schools up to the same level and allowed for
comparison of student performance in different regions. Such
standards would help all students with college and career readiness.
 3.  Standardized testing

Some people believe educational reform means making changes to the

system to ensure students from all over the country measure up to the
same set of standards. The theory behind standardized tests is that
they provide an objective measure of student performance and help
ensure that all students become proficient in the course material.
Standardized testing was meant to hold public schools accountable if
they failed to provide effective instruction to all students. Without such
measures, it was argued, low-income and minority students would fall
through the cracks and not receive the same quality education as their
more affluent white counterparts.

4. Teacher tenure

Having tenure means that a teacher cannot be let go unless their school district
demonstrates just cause. Many states grant tenure to public school teachers who
have received satisfactory evaluations for a specified period of time (which ranges
from one to five years, depending on the state). A few states do not grant tenure
at all. And the issue has long been mired in controversy.Proponents argue that
tenure protects teachers from being dismissed for personal or political reasons,
such as disagreeing with administrators or teaching contentious subjects such as
evolution. Tenured educators can advocate for students without fear of reprisal.
Supporters also say that tenure gives teachers the freedom to try innovative
instruction methods to deliver more engaging educational experiences. Tenure also
protects more experienced (and more expensive) teachers from being arbitrarily
replaced with new graduates who earn lower salaries.

5. Bullying

Bullying continues to be a major issue in schools all across the U.S. According to a
National Center for Education Statistics study, 21 percent of students in Grades 6
through 12 reported having been bullied at school, or on their way to or from
school, in 2015. That figure was down from 32 percent in 2007, but it is still far
too high.The good news is that the same study revealed that the percentage of
students who said they had been bullied almost every day dropped from seven
percent in 2007 to four percent in 2015. In addition, the percentage of students
who reported the bullying to an adult increased from 36 percent to 43 percent
over that same time period.

6. Poverty

Student poverty is a growing problem. Data from the National Center for
Education Statistics show that as of the 2014-2015 school year, low-income
students comprised a majority (52 percent) of public school students in the U.S.
That represented a significant increase from 2000-2001, when only 38 percent of
students were considered low-income (meaning they qualified for free or
discounted school lunches).The numbers are truly alarming: In 40 states, at least
40 percent of public school enrollees were eligible to receive free or reduced-price
lunches, and 18 of those states had student poverty rates of 50 percent or more.

7. Class size

According to NCES data, in the 2011-2012 school year, the average class size in
U.S. public schools was 21.2 students at the elementary level and 26.8 students at
the secondary level.But anecdotal reports suggest that today, classrooms commonly
have more than 30 students—sometimes as many as 40.Conventional wisdom holds
that smaller classes are beneficial to student learning. Teachers often argue that
the size of a class greatly influences the quality of the instruction they are able to
provide. Research from the National Education Policy Center has shown that
smaller classes lead to improved student outcomes, particularly for early
elementary, low-income and minority students.

8. Disciplinary policies

Data from the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights suggests that
black students face disproportionately high rates of suspension and expulsion from
school. For instance, in K-12 schools, black male students make up only eight
percent of enrollees but account for 25 percent of suspensions. Many people
believe some teachers apply the rules of discipline in a discriminatory way and
contribute to what has been termed the "school-to-prison pipeline." That's
because research has demonstrated that students who are suspended or expelled
are significantly more likely to become involved with the juvenile justice system. In
2014, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Education issued
guidelines for all public schools on developing disciplinary practices that reduce
disparities and comply with federal civil rights laws. The guidelines urged schools
to limit exclusionary disciplinary tactics such as suspension and expulsion. They also
encourage the adoption of more positive interventions such as counselling and
restorative justice strategies. In addition, the guidelines specified that schools
could face a loss of federal funds if they carried out policies that had a disparate
impact on some racial groups.

9. Government funding for education

On any list of current issues in education, school funding ranks near the
top. As you may be aware, the American public education system
comprises primary and secondary schools supported by taxes. Over 90
percent of the funding for public K-12 schools comes from state and local
governments. In the wake of the Great Recession, most states made cuts
to funding for schools. That was understandable, since the bulk of state
funding comes from revenues generated by sales and income taxes, both
of which drop in times of recession. However, many states are still giving
schools less cash now than they did before the Great Recession. The
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that, as of the 2017-2018
academic year, 29 states were still spending less per K-12 student than
they did a decade earlier. That's why the formulas that states use to
fund schools have come under fire in recent years and have even been the
subjects of lawsuits. For example, in 2017, the Kansas Supreme Court
ruled that the legislature's formula for financing schools was
unconstitutional because it didn't adequately fund education.

10. Teacher salaries

In most states, teacher pay has steadily eroded over the last several
years. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reveals that
across the U.S., average salaries for public school teachers dropped by almost five
percent between the 2009-2010 school year and the 2016-2017 one. The
decreases were especially pronounced in states like Oklahoma (17 percent) and
Colorado (16 percent), both of which saw massive teacher walkouts in the spring of
2018.Of course, there were significant differences between states. In nine states,
average salaries went up over that same time frame. According to the same NCES
data, Vermont saw an increase of nine percent. North Dakota saw salaries jump by
seven percent. It's also important to note that public school teachers generally
enjoy pensions and other benefits that make up a large share of their
compensation.

B. Choose one from among the issues and problems then compare it based
on Philippine settings to any other five countries of your choice in any
part of the world but including China and USA.

Philippines Government funding for education

Compared to 5 countries

Philippines Government funding
for education
QUEZON CITY, September 3 2019 – The
Department of Education (DepEd) on
Tuesday reaffirmed that amid the
significant developments in access to
education, it is committed to ensuring that
no one should be left behind as it pivots to
quality basic education through its
proposed 2020 budget for Fiscal Year
2020.
USA
The federal government spends nearly $79
billion annually on primary and
secondary education programs. Much of
the funding is discretionary, meaning it is
set annually by Congress through the
appropriations process. Funds flow
mainly through the Department of
Education although other federal agencies
administer some funding for education
related activities.

Before the Committee on Appropriations of Through the U.S. Department of

the House of Representatives, DepEd
Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones
highlighted that years of investing in
education has produced major
improvements in access. Among these are
the considerably improved Participation
Rates in both primary and secondary
levels, and the continuous decline in Drop-
out Rate.
“Still, no one should be left behind. We
continue to address the remaining access
gaps in basic education, which should be
more nuanced and responsive to the
reasons why certain learners remain out of
Education, the federal government
provides nearly $79 billion a year on
primary and secondary education
programs. The two biggest programs are
No Child Left Behind Title I Grants to
local school districts ($14.4 billion in
fiscal year 2014) and IDEA Special
Education State Grants ($11.5 billion in
fiscal year 2014).
Other federal agencies that administer
funding for primary and secondary
education include the Department of
school,” the Education chief stated.
Among the major initiatives of DepEd to
improve the dimension of learning
outcomes are the ongoing review of the K of Health and Human Services ($9.3
to 12 curriculum, and the transformation of million in fiscal year 2014), which
the National Educators’ Academy of the
Philippines (NEAP) to enrich the capacities Department of Labor ($5.7 billion in
of teachers and to equip them for career
progression.
“The role of teachers is crucial in ensuring
that our learners are prepared for future
opportunities and challenges,” she
remarked.
The Secretary was also candid about the
main challenges that still need to be
addressed in the next three years: the
need to improve the “low proficiency level”
of learners in the National Achievement
Test (NAT) due to the change in content
with the introduction of the K to 12
curriculum; the new education trend
brought about by the Fourth Industrial
Revolution and artificial intelligence; and
the need to address the wide range of
contrasts within education systems,
especially the so-called “Last Mile
Schools.”
“Technological innovations enable more
advanced countries to test the idea of
robots conducting lectures in class, acting
as teachers. The challenge is to keep the
humanistic aspects of education.” Briones
noted.
For FY 2020, the Department received an
allocation of P551.7 billion, which
comprises 82% share of the budget for the
education sector. The major program for
education access is the Basic Education
Facilities with a total of P36 billion
Agriculture ($20.8 in fiscal year 2014),
which coordinates the funding for the
child nutrition programs, the Department
supports the Head Start program, and the
fiscal year 2014), which supports Youth
Employment and Training Activities and
Youthbuild.
Federal education funding is distributed
to states and school districts through a
variety of formula and competitive grant
programs. While the federal government
contributes about 12 percent of direct
funding for elementary and secondary
schools nationally, the amount varies
considerably from state to state. In some
states the federal share of total elementary
and secondary education spending is less
than 5 percent of the total, while in other
states it is higher than 16 percent.
As an overall share of the total federal
budget, federal spending on elementary
and secondary education programs
through the U.S. Department of
Education account for less than 3 percent
of the total federal budget. In the annual
appropriations process, elementary and
secondary education funding accounts for
about 5 percent of discretionary funding
across all federal programs.
China
hina has the largest education system in
the world. In July 2020, there were 10.71
 million students taking the National Higher
proposed budget. It includes the Education Entrance Examination (Gao
construction of school buildings and Kao) in China. Investment in education
laboratories (P19.9 billion); classrooms for accounts for about 4% of total GDP in
repair/rehabilitation (P6.5 billion for 18,579 China. In 1986, the Chinese government
classrooms); school furniture (P4.8 billion passed a compulsory education law,
for 42,225 sets); electrification (P2 billion making nine years of education mandatory
for 1,700 sites). for all Chinese children. Today, the
Ministry of Education estimates that above
Other major programs for education 99 percent of the school-age children have
access include Flexible Learning Options, received universal nine-year basic
including the Alternative Learning System education.
(P600.6 million); Madrasah Education On April 2019, Ministry of Education of the
(P340.7 million); Government Assistance People's Republic of China announced a
and Subsidies (P31.2 billion); School- total of 492,185 international students
Based Feeding Program (P6 billion); and were studying in China in 2018.
Last Mile Schools Program (P1.5 billion). International students have enrolled in
over 1004 higher education institutions in
Meanwhile, the Department’s major China. China has a long history of
programs for education quality with the providing education to international
corresponding estimated proposed budget students studying in high schools and
are: DepEd Computerization Program (P9 universities in China. Over the past few
billion); human resource development with years, the number of international students
NEAP Transformation (P1.9 billion); who study abroad in China has
learning tools and equipment (P2.7 billion); significantly increased every year.
new school personnel (teaching) positions The higher education sector has growth as
(P1.3 billion); and textbooks and other well. China has increased the proportion of
instructional materials (P963.6 million). its college-age population in higher
education to over 20 percent now from 1.4
“We have made major strides in access to percent in 1978. At the same time, China
education. However, we continue to is improving the quality of education
address access gaps through various through a major effort at school curriculum
programs such as School-Based Feeding, reform.
Alternative Learning System, and our new
Last Mile Schools. We are in a position to
now shift our focus on making major
improvements in education quality,”
Briones concluded.

Russia
The Russian Federation, more
commonly and simply known as
“Russia,” is a complex, heterogeneous
state. Home to some 143.4 million citizens,
its population includes a sizable number of
ethnic minorities besides the Russian
majority. Most citizens consider their
mother tongue to be Russian. However, up
to 100 other languages, including 35 that
are “official,” remain in use. Russia, the
largest nation in the world in terms of
landmass, shares borders with 14
neighbors: Norway, Finland, Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus,
Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,
Mongolia, North Korea, and China.The
Federation, like the Soviet Union before it,
is a nominally federal system that consists
of 85 “federal subjects,” including
“republics,” “oblasts” (provinces), “krais”
(districts) and “cities of federal
importance.” However, Russia is not a
truly federal system. Because of the re-
centralization of power under the rule of
Vladimir Putin, Russia is often referred to
as a “quasi-federal” state, or a system that
is “unitary in function.” The autonomy of
provinces, republics, districts and cities of
federal importance is limited.

Japan

Public schools are funded by a combination of

support from the national, municipal and
prefectural governments. In public
compulsory education, prefectures pay two-
thirds and the national government pays one-
third of teachers’ salaries. Public primary and
lower secondary schools do not charge tuition,
and government tuition support makes public
upper secondary school essentially free for
families making below an annual income
threshold. Families earning above this
threshold pay tuition at the upper secondary
level.

Private schools also receive a great deal of

public funding, with the Japanese government
paying 50 percent of private school teachers’
salaries. Other forms of funding are capital
grants, which go to private schools for specific
costs, including new buildings and equipment.
While private schools are considered to be
more competitive and prestigious than public
schools, public schools still account for the
vast majority of primary and lower secondary
schools. Private schools are a significant part
of upper secondary schools, with about one in
four upper secondary schools classified as
private.

The Japanese government spends less on its

schools than do many other OECD countries.
Schools are functional but unadorned, and
most schools have a very small administrative
staff, with only a principal, an assistant
principal, a janitor and a nurse. The focus of
the funding is on teachers and students. In
2014, Japan spent 3.2 percent of its GDP on
education – lower than any other OECD
country and well below the OECD average of
4.4 percent. Japan spends US$9,062 per
student in primary school, US$10,422 in lower
secondary, and US$11,047 in upper
secondary, compared to the OECD averages of
US$8,733, US$10,235 and US$10,182,
respectively.

Australia

In 2009, the Australian Government

restructured its funding for schools when
COAG agreed to a new framework for
federal financial relations.

The majority of Australian Government

funding for schools is now provided under
the National Schools Specific Purpose
Payment (National Schools SPP), which
has two components—one for
government schools and one for non-
government schools.

There is also additional funding provided

through National Partnerships (NPs) and
other school education programs funded
by annual appropriations.

National Schools Specific

Purpose Payment—
government schools
component

The National Schools SPP for government

schools is provided through
the Intergovernmental Agreement on
Federal Financial Relations (the IGA).
[9] The previous SPPs for government
schools, with some additions, were
combined into an agreed base amount of
$3.3 billion for 2009–10.[10] This base
amount is indexed each year, according to
a formula based on increases in AGSRC
and growth in full-time equivalent
enrolments.

Funding for Indigenous students in

government schools, previously provided
under the Indigenous Education (Targeted
Assistance) Act 2000, was also incorporated
into the base amount. In addition, there
was new funding as a result of increased
per student funding for government
primary school students. This funding
increased from 8.9 per cent to 10 per cent
of AGSRC—the same percentage rate as
for government secondary school
students.