“How can the quality of education in grades K-12 in the American educational system be improved?” One of my assumptions is that, in comparison to many other countries, our educational system is not competitive in the global market. “If we want to provide America with an educational system that ensures they cannot compete in the global market, we would give them the one they have,” one writer suggested. You are free to challenge this assumption in your discussion, but please do so with solid evidence. Some information you might want to look up on the internet is as follows:

1. What is the average per-student expenditure for public education in the United States?

2. What is the average spending per student in other industrialized countries?

3. What is the average cost of private education per student?

4. What is the average starting salary for a public school teacher?

5. What is the average starting salary for a private school teacher?

6. What is the salary difference between an English teacher and a math teacher?

7. How do American students compare to students from other countries on standardized tests?

8. What are some other measures of instructional quality that can be used for comparison?

Use the critical thinking elements to test your critical thinking skills as you analyze the question. This week, you are responsible for discussing it in your group, and I will read the discussions and post comments on the discussion board under general course questions. I’m especially interested in your conclusions about what needs to be done. Please keep in mind that critical thinking is not about expressing one’s own point of view. I’m looking for deep thought and intellectual honesty.