Equal Access to Education in the USA - Essay Example

The American education system is different from that in other countries. Education is the responsibility of the state and local governments hence there is little standardization in the overall curriculum. States have control over the curriculum, student requirements, and funding in public schools (Kozol, 2012). There is a huge difference in courses, subjects, and performance. K-12 is a term that refers to the education system from kindergarten to twelfth grade (Hohenberg, 2010). It can be noted that schooling is compulsory for all students in the US but the age of attendance is inconsistent among the various states.

In my opinion, more emphasis should be placed on tax reforms and the redistribution of funds between the rich and poor district schools. This will help improve the quality of education in public schools in different states. In general, states decide on the amount of funding received by schools, and in some instances, there is inequality in the distribution of tax dollars between privileged and poor district schools (Hohenberg, 2010). Poor-performing public schools lack the necessary resources and facilities to ensure high education performance thus effective distribution to poor schools will ensure that they have the appropriate funding to acquire the resources and put in place appropriate facilities.

The K-12 system in modern times dictates that funding is tied to performance and this system of tax distribution is unfair. Increasing competition in the K-12 system ensures an improvement in the quality of education (Hohenberg, 2010). This is because the schools in various states will work hard to beat each other. On the other hand, increasing competition is unfair, as it will benefit the schools that have the appropriate resources. Increasing equality in tax distribution among poor public schools is beneficial, as it will help these institutions acquire the necessary resources needed to improve the quality and access to education. On the other hand, tax redistribution in poor schools promotes laxity in these institutions.

 There is a need to attain greater equalization in the education system in the US. In public schools, the distribution of funds between schools is clear leading to an inequality in access to benefits and funds. Benefits refer to the educational opportunities present in the system (Kozol, 2012). However, the benefits received argument does not refer to equalization in society, as too much tax burden would be placed on the poor without the ability to pay taxes (Hohenberg, 2010). One of the most effective methods of achieving equality is through recapture whereby excess funds in schools are returned to the state offices for redistribution. Secondly, funds should be distributed among schools based on need. The state governments should distribute resources to the poor schools promoting equalization in society. Furthermore, the distribution of funds should be done by weighing the programs that are in dire need. There should be cost equalization in higher-quality programs, especially the hiring of qualified teachers. Educators and other relevant stakeholders should come up with better and more efficient ways of creating equalization in the education sector.