If I were to....

If I were to reform the Department of Education, I would make the educational requirements for graduation in America standardized as well as the number of hours allotted in a school day (8 hours a day) and abolish high school being mandatory. A reform to the school year is also necessary - both increase the number of days of attendance and spread the breaks apart (for instance, a short break between quarters rather than a long break in the summer, which causes students to forget what they learned previously). I think this would not only improve our education system, but improve how America performs in terms of other countries in the world. I find it deplorable that we, as a world power, have one of the most lacking education systems among the developed world. Almost all of the developed world does better academically than the US, particularly in math and science.

The main problem, in my opinion, is in lack of motivation of the general population. Our generation is used to having things handed to us - how often do you see an 8 year old walking around with a handheld gaming device now-a-days? Not only is this bad for their attention span, but it encourages the use of such when bored. Rather than do one's homework, they play their handheld. I have nothing against games, but I feel this is the main cause of our lack of motivation.

Elementary School
- Parents are no longer parenting properly. There is no discipline in our generation - I had to deal with it in high school every single day. While I don't think parents should beat their children regularly, one good spanking early on typically helps children listen to their parents later. This "I will never raise a hand to my child" attitude just makes them arrogant - they can do whatever they want with little repercussion. Therefore, I find that a lot of responsibility must fall to elementary school teachers. A strong emphasis on subjects like social studies (government, history, etc), mathematics, science and English; extra subjects should be things that encourage individuality; such as art (calligraphy, drawing, etc), handicrafts (sewing, woodwork, cooking, etc), music, PE (to promote exercise), and moral education. However, a problem arises with moral education - morals vary significantly among adults due to factors like religion and personal beliefs. Therefore, only the basic morals should be instilled (do not steal, do not lie/cheat, clean up your own mess, politeness, etc). Encouraging relationships and friendships among students is important too and teachers should take special interest in each of their students. I think, especially at this age, the last 10 minutes of the day should be dedicated to tidying the classroom.

Middle School
- Middle school should continue the basic requirements of English (with a focus on grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. NOT interpretation of poems), mathematics, PE, science, and social studies (history and government), but also offer electives in art, music, etc. Objective of middle school is to perform well enough to get into targeted high school or to learn enough to perform well in life

High School
- They should focus on high performance and entrance into college, with at least one STEM high school and one vocational high school per county. A very strong focus on adequate supplies in the science department is critical in all schools (my high school never had any good lab equipment - we only had one striker to light our Bunsen burners and often things were broken). Block scheduling is important to provide enough time for material to be covered (with electives being on TuTh)

Junior High and High School electives can be left up to the local and state governments, but all requirements toward graduation should be mandated by the government. I also think there should be several testing options available: written exam, oral exam, or a performance exam. The main reason written tests are pushed and encouraged is because they are easier to grade. However, some students need other options. For instance, my mother dropped out of high school because she suffers from dyslexia. Had she been given an oral exam, she may have been able to pass.

Thoughts?