10 Major Challenges Facing Public Schools

Updated January 30, 2014 | by Grace Chen

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Are our public schools in a state of crisis? Learn about the 10 biggest problems with public schools today, both from the perspective
of the administrators and the teachers
Few would argue that the state of our education system has plenty of room for improvement. However, developing a plan to take
schools in the right direction is easier said than done. The first challenge lies in identifying underlying problems keeping students from
learning today. This challenge, in part, is due to the fact that the problems may change considerably depending on who is labeling
them, whether it is students, parents, educators or lawmakers. Consider this list of 10 major challenges currently facing public schools,
based
on
the
perspective
of
many
involved
in
the
world
of
education
today.
Classroom

Size

Many areas of the country are facing classrooms that are literally busting out at the seams. A report at NEA Today two years ago
discussed how schools in Georgia, in the midst of major funding cuts for schools, had no choice but to lift all class size limits to
accommodate students with the faculty the school system could still afford to keep. More recently, Fairfax County in Virginia has been
looking into a proposal to increase classroom sizes in the face of significant budget cuts. The Board of Education inSouth Carolina is
also
weighing
their
options
in
this
area.
When money gets tight, classroom numbers are often impacted. Yet, most teachers agree that they cannot effectively teach every
student in a classroom, if the class size exceeds about 30. Their statements are backed up by research. Class Size Matters cites a study
performed by the Tennessee Star that found classes of 15-17 students in grades K-3 provided both long and short-term benefits to both
the students and the teachers in those classrooms. Minority students, those living in poverty and male students appeared to benefit
from smaller classroom sizes the most.
Poverty
Technorati reported last fall that 22 percent of the children in the U.S. live at or below poverty level.American Graduate defines
poverty as a family of four with an annual income level of $23,050 or lower. American Graduate also cites a report from the Southern
Education Foundation, which shows in 17 states across the U.S., low-income students now comprise the majority of public school
students in those states. Some estimates put poverty levels for public school students at 25% in the not-so-distant future.

Students living at or below poverty level tend to have the highest dropout rates. Studies show that students who do not get enough
food or sleep are less likely to perform at their full academic potential. Schools know these truths first-hand, and despite efforts to
provide students with basic essentials, teachers, administrators and lawmakers know there is simply not enough to go around.
Family

Factors

Family factors also play a role in a teachers ability to teach students. Principals and teachers agree that what is going on at home will
impact a students propensity to learn. Divorce, single parents, poverty, violence and many other issues are all challenges a student
brings to school every day. While some teachers and administrators try to work with children in less than ideal family environments,
they can only do so much especially when parents are often not willing to partner with the schools to provide for the children.
Technology
Kids Health Guide reports that students are more technologically advanced than many teachers today, putting instructors at a decided
disadvantage in the classroom. However, a students love of technology also tends to distract him from his schoolwork, according to
NEA Today. When teachers dont have the techno-savvy to compete with those devices, by bringing education and technology
together, it can be difficult to keep students interest and attention to properly teach new concepts.
Technology needs to come into the classroom to keep up with the learning demands of the 21 st century. Schools that are already cashstrapped may find an unsurmountable challenge in coming up with the funding to bring computers and other forms of technology into
their classes. Scholastic offers some tips for school districts that want to fit the bill for technology, including everything from asking
individuals in the district for big gifts to going to Uncle Sam for the funding. The website also suggests negotiating prices on
technology
when
possible
and
allowing
student
to
bring
their
own
from
home.
Bullying

Bullying is not a new problem, but it is one that has a profound impact on the learning aptitude of many students today. Technology
has given bullies even more avenues to torment their victims through social networking, texting and other virtual
interactions. Cyberbullying has become a major issue for schools, as evidenced by the number of suicides that can be directly traced to
bullying events. The fact that laws are still fuzzy regarding cyberbullying adds to the challenge since parents, teachers and
administrators
are
unsure
of
how
to
legally
handle
such
issues.
Student Attitudes and Behaviors
Many public school teachers also cite student attitudes, such as apathy and disrespect for teachers, as a major problem facing schools
today. A poll from the National Center for Education Statistics cited that problems like apathy, tardiness, disrespect and absenteeism
posed significant challenges for teachers. These issues were seen more frequently at the secondary school level, rather than the
primary
grades.
No Child Left Behind
Many students, parents and teachers see No Child Left Behind as a detriment to the public education environment today. Although the
current Obama Administration is working to reform NCLB policies, the focus in education on both the national and state level
continues to be on the testing process. Student test scores are now being used by a number of states as a way to evaluate teacher
performance,
putting
even
more
pressure
on
faculty
in
schools
to
teach
to
the
tests.
NEA Today quotes Kansas special educator Shelly Dunham as saying, Testing, testing, testing, what is the point of testing? Do we
use the data to remediate those who do not measure up? No! Many teachers believe they are forced to teach to the annual
standardized tests, and activities like recess and lunch have been cut way down to make more time for academics in light of the new
testing
procedures.
Parent Involvement
Often teachers find there is no happy medium when it comes to parental involvement, according to the Kids Health Guide. Some
parents wont be seen for the entire school year, no matter what sort of issues might arise. Others never seem to go away, hovering
over the child and teacher and interfering with the education process. There are ways parents can become involved and support their
childs
education
at
the
same
time,
but
teachers
dont
always
get
that
level
from
parents.
Student Health
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S., and the same poor eating habits that led to the obesity problem may also be
contributing to lower student achievement. Obesity also increases a students risk for other conditions, like diabetes and high blood
pressure,
which
could
result
in
higher
absenteeism
and
more
academic
issues.
The national school lunch movement Lets Move! has been working to bring healthier options into school lunchrooms across the
country. According to the website, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released new guidelines in 2012 to boost the nutritional quality
of the meals students get at school. Exercise programs are also coming to schools across the country to promote more physical activity
among students of all ages. However, it seems the country as a whole still has a long way to go to get on the road to better health on a
large
scale.
Funding
Budget cuts have created huge problems for most public schools in recent years. Less funding means smaller staffs, fewer resources
and a lower number of services for students. While some argue that throwing more money at the education problems wont make them
go away, others assert that lack of funding caused many of the problems in the first place.
There are many problems in public schools today, but identifying those issues is half the battle. With a laundry list of challenges to
face, now is the time for educators, parents and lawmakers to come together and begin to find solutions for the benefit of all students
in public schools today.