Is It a Priority to Teach the Poor?

Pamela Burdman

Pamela Burdman, an education policy analyst, is a former program officer at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and education reporter at The San Francisco Chronicle.

Updated August 23, 2011, 6:14 PM

To understand what value our society actually places on education, we can start by asking how Americans with money spend it on their children’s schooling: generally, they either invest in private school education or buy homes in more affluent communities with the best public schools. Their children don't qualify for financial aid, and yet they go to college, paying full tuition.

We should ensure that all schools and colleges deliver better learning, especially for the least advantaged.

These families apparently think education is worth the money, that it will enhance their children’s futures, ensuring not just economic security but also a fulfilling career and civic life.

To ask whether we are spending too much time and money on education is really to ask whether the children of less-advantaged Americans are also worth educating. For them, public schools are the only option and student loans are often necessary to finish college (lest a full-time workload interfere with their studies).

The answer depends on what kind of society we wish to inhabit. If some degree of equality – economic and political – is important, we need more education, not less. Under-educated Americans not only struggle to earn a living wage, but also are ill-equipped to exercise their political rights. Furthermore, they are more likely to pose costs to society for social welfare and incarceration. Disinvesting in their education is not a solution.

At the same time, money alone will not cure all the ills of public education, especially when existing resources are not always well spent. Too many students who graduate from U.S. high schools lack the skills they need to participate meaningfully in public life or support their families. And many students earn college degrees with no evidence that they’ve learned anything. Resources need to be focused on building strong schools with visionary leaders and teams of educators who are continually innovating and improving their practice so that students learn more.

Rather than looking to spend less on education, we should be focusing on ensuring that all schools and colleges use the resources they have to deliver better learning, especially for the least advantaged.

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Topics: Economy, Education, students, unemployment

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