Question: How would you make our students more globally competitive?
Bill Richardson: Well you start early. You start with pre-school for every child under four. I did this in my state, and I would do it as President. I would have a full-day kindergarten. I would try to make kids healthier by having no junk food in schools. I would also ensure that we create 250 science and math academies where students and teachers learn stronger proficiency in science and math. I’d hire 100,000 new science and math teachers. But what I would also do is pay our teachers better. They’re paid a miserable amount. They’re disrespected. I’d have a minimum wage of $40,000 per year. And I would get rid of No Child Left Behind because I believe that that “one size fits all” testing hurts students. It hurts English learning students. It hurts special needs students, gifted students. And then it punishes schools that are not doing well. If a school isn’t doing well, I try to help that school. And so I would have national standards that would work with state and local standards to create accountability and create some kind of gauge about how our students are doing. But I don’t believe that No Child Left Behind is . . . is redeemable. It’s . . . it should be eliminated.
And finally what I would do is for college students, I’ve set up a program where I would say that in exchange for two years of tuition, I would have students – to pay off that tuition from the government loans – one year of national service for the country. Work in a hospital; do action type of work; clean up a forest; join the military. I think we have to bring that back. American people are ready to sacrifice, and they need to be inspired. And linking education to college loans, and to work, and to helping the country would be a major goal of my administration.
Recorded on: 11/20/07
Discuss
John Kalkwarf on January 7, 2008, 12:07 PM
We need to extend the current 180 odd day school year to match our current society rather than one based upon a time when 90% of the population were involved in agriculture. We need to set minimum standards for the benchmarks of knowledge, eliminate the connection between age and those benchmarks, and allow kids to progress to vocational or academic instituions if they wish, or simply to go to work when they finish meeting the standards.
John Kalkwarf on January 7, 2008, 5:07 PM
We need to extend the current 180 odd day school year to match our current society rather than one based upon a time when 90% of the population were involved in agriculture. We need to set minimum standards for the benchmarks of knowledge, eliminate the connection between age and those benchmarks, and allow kids to progress to vocational or academic instituions if they wish, or simply to go to work when they finish meeting the standards.
Michele B on January 20, 2008, 9:41 PM
Start early in the childs life and instill in them that education in extremely important, whether you attend college or not. The misconception that, "Since Im not going to be a doctor, I dont need to attend college" is ludicrous. Every child needs to attend college to enlighten him/herself and develop a better perspective of how the world works. I feel that the US students standards should be raised considerably higher just to be able to compete with third world countries regarding education. Also, each child learns different. I feel there should be a more personalized learning program to recognize those gifted students and nurture them at a very early age. Basically, we need private school educations at public schools.
Michele B on January 21, 2008, 2:41 AM
Start early in the childs life and instill in them that education in extremely important, whether you attend college or not. The misconception that, “Since Im not going to be a doctor, I dont need to attend college” is ludicrous. Every child needs to attend college to enlighten him/herself and develop a better perspective of how the world works. I feel that the US students standards should be raised considerably higher just to be able to compete with third world countries regarding education. Also, each child learns different. I feel there should be a more personalized learning program to recognize those gifted students and nurture them at a very early age. Basically, we need private school educations at public schools.
Cheri Whitehead on January 21, 2008, 12:23 PM
THANK YOU GOVERNOR RICHARDSON for your thoughtful insight into the challenges of education! I am so very hopeful that all students will be provided with that early exposure to a balanced curriculum that will nurture both academics and developmental needs in their first years of life. I know that a full-day experience in kindergarten for all students is critical for formulating long-term student success which leads each of those children to fulfill their personal potential. And as you mentioned, nutrition and the exposure to healthful practices must begin as soon as students begin their educational career and hopefully, each family has begun that journey as well. As a math teacher is high school, I concur that math and science needs to be as important as literacy, a second language, social science, and the arts.
I am not going to complain about teacher wages as most educators do not enter the field for that purpose and accept the situation. I am so very thankful to be in this profession and my rewards are the ultimate success of my students in school and beyond.
I am a staunch and strong proponent of having all individuals within our borders participate in at least one year of national service%u2014this experience would serve to help our youth to become aware of the needs, practices, consequences, and rewards of the greater world. This type of requirement would serve to bind our neighborhoods together in a very positive manner.
As far as NCLB goes, I also agree that it MUST BE SCRAPPED! Most states are fully capable of defining and implementing standards that are far more rigorous than those that are assessed by the current federal law.
Governor Richardson, I am asking you to please continue to use your voice and convictions to carry your beliefs to fruition.
Cheri Whitehead on January 21, 2008, 5:23 PM
THANK YOU GOVERNOR RICHARDSON for your thoughtful insight into the challenges of education! I am so very hopeful that all students will be provided with that early exposure to a balanced curriculum that will nurture both academics and developmental needs in their first years of life. I know that a full-day experience in kindergarten for all students is critical for formulating long-term student success which leads each of those children to fulfill their personal potential. And as you mentioned, nutrition and the exposure to healthful practices must begin as soon as students begin their educational career and hopefully, each family has begun that journey as well. As a math teacher is high school, I concur that math and science needs to be as important as literacy, a second language, social science, and the arts.
I am not going to complain about teacher wages as most educators do not enter the field for that purpose and accept the situation. I am so very thankful to be in this profession and my rewards are the ultimate success of my students in school and beyond.
I am a staunch and strong proponent of having all individuals within our borders participate in at least one year of national service%u2014this experience would serve to help our youth to become aware of the needs, practices, consequences, and rewards of the greater world. This type of requirement would serve to bind our neighborhoods together in a very positive manner.
As far as NCLB goes, I also agree that it MUST BE SCRAPPED! Most states are fully capable of defining and implementing standards that are far more rigorous than those that are assessed by the current federal law.
Governor Richardson, I am asking you to please continue to use your voice and convictions to carry your beliefs to fruition.
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