Equality of Access to California Public University Education - Essay Example

Opinions about the Equality of Access to California Public Education Introduction With modern developments in the sector of education, everybody is yearning for education. Because of this fact, government has been dedicated towards ensuring that all people can access university education equally regardless of their gender, race or class. However, it is unfortunate that, in some states, schools are still discriminating students in accordance to their races, genders and classes (Campbell et al. 18). This has led students to have different opinions about equality of access to education. California is one of the states which use different policies towards access of education. It is, therefore, due to this fact that this study will be analyzing opinions of students about the equality of access to California public university education. Inequality of opportunity In California, public education has long assured quality education for all citizens regardless of their income, race or ethnicity. Nevertheless, it is argued by critics of public education that numerous citizens lack equal chances to learn and are unlikely to attend a quality school. Chall (53) asserts that, as a matter of fact, it is suggested by critics that poverty and disadvantages is affected by the education system, offering rich and poor schools with bleak differences in learning atmospheres and physical surroundings. Deprived environs characteristically house run-down schools with poor conditions and less money whereas rich neighborhoods house newer and safer schools offering best learning atmospheres. In addition, the lower-quality urban schools are likely to be attended by ethnic minority students. Attempts to enhance this inequality are only the first step in attaining equality even with millions of dollars spent in federal programs. The inequities of access to quality schools and attainment of children in public universities, in California, have been a source of debate and millions of dollars in programs for many years trying to attain equity for all students (Chall 60). However, plenty proof that there is the existence of inequity and inequality, and that little has been done to equalize the playing field have been cited by critics of public education. Nonetheless, NAEP data demonstrates that the gap in reading and mathematics between white students and their Hispanic and Black American counterparts lessened between 1973 and 1999. Highly bureaucratic systems According to Chubb & Moe (44), It is argued by critics of American public education that California in incapable of educating students efficiently, partially due to the highly bureaucratic nature of its governance structure. Layers of rules burdened by paperwork and regulation are attached to most federal government funding hence; federal programs become hard to change or implement. Funds and responsibility are shuffled around to various bodies by this institutionalized problem of extreme bureaucracy, and shifts the accountability of academic achievement onto guardians, teachers, students, and administrators in the case of education. The outcome of public universities being connected to the agendas of very many stakeholders has been fragmentation and lack of control, leaving the public wondering who has the power in the system. It is even more annoying that in the state, district, and school level there is also existence of the same burden. It is stipulated by critics that oversight of public universities is unnecessary heavy. Another layer is yet added to the policy making procedure by the state boards of education and administrative regulation (Cuban & Tyack 89). Locally, the mission and vision of the district is trying to be maintained by the elected school boards, yet they are usually blamed for micromanaging and increasing layers of bureaucracy. District administrations are usually advocating for control with the school boards with central power over the schools. School choice It is believed by many people that the problems of poor student achievements, government bureaucracy, and equity can be solved by competition among schools. Enormous moment has been gained by school choice since the 1990s hence, offering a variety of enrolment choices for students. It is felt by the advocates of school choice that schools will compete if parents becomes consumers of education thus, forcing public schools to enhance academic performance of students or face the risk of being closed (Elmore 43). They also have a belief that due to a lot of governance oversight, public schools are incapable of reforming successfully. On the other hand, it is argued by critics of school choice that the absence of a monitoring mechanism will mean far less responsibility without assurance all students are learning basic skills. Constitutionality of some choice programs is challenged by other critics who argue that separation of church and state will be violated by inclusion of religious schools in a choice program especially when vouchers with public funds are concerned. Methodology Type of research This is a study aimed at identifying opinions of students about the equality of access to California public university education. Respondents In order to obtain data, I interviewed 30 students from public universities in California, 15 boys, 15 girls. Out of these 30 interviewees 10 were from lower class, 10 from middle class, and 10 from upper class. Al also considered race and ethnicity when choosing my respondents. Data collection There were many methods of data collection available for me to use to collect data in this research, but I used one method of data collection. I used interviews as my method of data collection. This is because use of interview provided me with an original and accurate data. I interview students from different universities in California so that I can obtain their views about access to California public university education. This is because when carrying out an interview, the interviewee gives interviewer the right answer about what he/she knows or decline whatever he/she does not know. The respondent can also give explanation where necessary hence improving accuracy of data collected. Analysis After carrying out interview, 25 out of 30 respondents said that t there is no equality of access to education in California’s public universities while only five said that there is equality to access of education. Many respondents associated inequality of access public universities in California with the race and class differences. They said that the inequality is rampant in that universities have been divided into categories of rich or poor, and natives and foreigners. On the other hand, five respondents who said that there is equality in accessing university education said that it is high fees that separates different categories of students and not favor or discrimination since anybody who can afford to raise the required fee can join any university. Conclusion Generally, it is apparent that there is no equality of accessing California university education in California. This has been proved by the existence of schools for the rich, poor, blacks, and whites. Fund disbursement is also based on these factors hence hindering any students form accessing public universities in California (Gill et al. 16). Thus, there is an urgent need for all stakeholders in the education sector to come up and address this issue so as to improve the quality of education throughout California. Works cited Campbell Jay, Hombo Catherine and Mazzeo John. NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress: Three Decades of Student Performance. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, 2000, 12-78. Chall Jeanne. The Academic Achievement Challenge: What Really Works in the Classroom. New York: Guilford Press2000, 45-89. Chubb John and Moe Terry. Politics, Markets, and Americas Schools. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 1990, 12-132. Cuban Larry and Tyack David. Tinkering Toward Utopia: A Century of Public School Reform. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1995, 67-154. Elmore Richard. "Education Policy and Practice in the Aftermath of TIMSS." In Learning from TIMSS: Results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, ed. Alexandra Beatty. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1997, 23-67. Gill Brian, Timpane Michael, Ross Karen and Brewer Dominic. Rhetoric Versus Reality: What We Know and What We Need to Know About Vouchers and Charter Schools. Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2001, 8-43. Kirst Michael. "Strengths and Weaknesses of American Education." In The State of the Nations Public Schools: A Conference Report, ed. Stanley Elam. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa, 1993, 14-45. Kozal Jonathan. Savage Inequalities: Children in Americas Schools. New York: Perennial Publishers, 1992, 45-88. Read More