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As advanced math programs and higher elective courses are being slashed with public school budget cuts, many parents are concerned that the reduced programs will not provide enough support for their math-minded kids.

Most public schools, especially middle and high schools, allow younger students to move beyond their grade level if their math skills are advanced. Subsequently, in light of funding cuts, some students are realizing that they have exceeded all of the higher level program requirements provided by their school. Ultimately, parents are seeking to find answers and new opportunities for their advanced students who can benefit from more challenging math courses.

Public Schools and Math Performance

While there are many math-minded students who desire more demanding and complex courses, studies show that most average-level students are continuing to struggle in the standard public school math programs. As the American Education Finance Association explores, nearly one-third of the country’s college freshman are reportedly unprepared for their college level math requirements. Expanding on this, some local community colleges and universities have even demanded more successful math preparation classes from their public schools.

For example, as the Maryland Gazette states, their local Frederick Community College has requested that nearby high schools focus on more college-prep math. As the Gazette reveals, the number of freshmen who have been required to take remedial math courses upon entering FCC has continued to rise for the past five years. With this data, educators at both the high school and college

Based upon requirements mandated by both the federal government and the state government, public schools are obligated to report their student body’s progress and test results each school year. As asserts, “All states and schools will have challenging and clear standards of achievement and accountability for all children, and effective strategies for reaching those standards.”

In light of recent national educational guidelines and standardized testing mandates, individual states have started to implement their own sets of learning and development standards. With every state providing schools and educators with educational goals and benchmarks, many parents and leaders are concerned about their local schools’ progress and achievement. With regulations shifting in various subject areas in states nationwide, leaders want to know: are the schools succeeding?

Student Progress and Reports

While each school has its progress records, the national average statistics show that public school students struggle to meet the established standards. According to , the most recent NAEP test results show that approximately 1/3 of American fourth-grade students are below proficiency in reading, math, science, and American history.

Adding to this deficit, when comparing our schools to others worldwide, our eighth-grade students earned a 19 out of 38 ranking in the comprehension areas of math and an 18 out of 38 in science. Similarly, U.S. twelfth-grade students were ranked 18^th out of 21 countries in

How to Successfully Prepare for a Foreign Exchange Experience

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, a rising number of public schools are creating innovative foreign exchange programs.

Typically, allowing an exchange student to live abroad with a host family, many public schools offer general credit and scholarships for students interested in pursuing a global learning opportunity.

Canva generated this picture of students on a foreign exchange program in Amsterdam.

Public Schools and Foreign Exchange

Although each school, district, and county may offer diverging foreign exchange opportunities, students of nearly any public school affiliation can typically find ways to jet off for a chance to learn in another country.

For example, Chesapeake Public Schools (CPS), located in Virginia, is one of the many public school systems providing students with incredible exploratory venues.

• As their foreign exchange philosophy states, “Chesapeake Public Schools recognizes that as the nations of the world become more interdependent, it becomes increasingly important that high school students develop a sense of global citizenship.”
• To enhance this learning process, CPS encourages students to engage in travel and exchange opportunities to build greater relationships while simultaneously adding depth to students’ overall development.
• In addition, while CPS focuses on high school exchange options, a rising number of public schools across the country are now creating more opportunities for elementary and middle school students as well.

This video explains how to become a foreign exchange student.

Contrary to popular belief, not all prominent, high-demand careers require a college degree. According to the , 10 out of the 28 top fastest-growing careers could be pursued with vocational training available through public schools.

Subsequently, many believe public schools should provide more extensive vocational programs for interested students. While all high schools are required to provide students with general education courses, only a handful provide vocational alternatives.

What Type of Learning Coincides with Vocational Education?

Vocational-technical education programs provide students with practical learning opportunities and hands-on experiences to prepare graduates for a career following high school. As Massachusetts Public Schools explains, vocational programs allow students to develop technical, academic, and professional skills that can be used for either a professional pathway or a continuing education alternative.

While all states have vocational programs at various community colleges, some areas still struggle to establish or maintain functioning programs at the public high school level. Because the cost of these programs can often add an extra burden to a public school’s limited budget, these vocational courses are frequently one of the first venues to be cut during a time of financial struggle.

Despite the balancing, financial planning, and professional accommodations needed to establish these programs, many states have shown tremendous strides in offering vocational opportunities. For example, Massachusetts is one of the leading states