With two high-profile Olympic competitors ? Lolo Jones and Gabby Douglas ? plus a host of other athletes with Iowa ties to cheer on, Iowans were into the patriotic spirit of the Olympic Games.
As a teacher and elected official, I wish our nation showed more of this drive and ambition when it came to our academic standing in the world. We have much to be proud of when it comes to our athletic accomplishments, but our students are significantly missing the mark on key international benchmarks.
One of the most disconcerting statistics highlights our poor performance in science and reading. U.S. students rank 17th and 24th, respectively, out of 34 developed nations in those subjects. Likewise, our teens didn't do particularly well in math on the international assessment, which had us at 25th.
Iowa's schools can become among the best in the nation. But we must remember that our children, while attending some of America's top schools, are competing with students around the world. That's why we have to ensure our schools are globally competitive and that our students are prepared for the "innovation economy." A strong foundation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics must be a priority of our school leaders.
International performance rankings aren't alone in showing our education system is in need of continued reform. The Council on Foreign Relations recently issued a report warning that the state of U.S. education has put America's national security at risk. It cited high dropout rates, low test scores and large disparities in achievement levels between poor and minority kids and their wealthier, white peers.
What do we do to regain our footing as an academic leader in the world? We should start by tapping into the competitive spirit that was on display at the Olympics. Let's set high expectations for every single student in our most critical academic subjects and push our children to reach farther and dig deeper.
We also need to look at the policies that are holding kids back. There's little doubt that the work our teachers do in the classroom is the most critical factor impacting how well students learn. State law should mandate that staffing decisions be based on teacher effectiveness, not seniority, and reward the teachers who perform the best. By evaluating our teachers we'll ensure that the needs of our students remain a top priority.
We need to look at these policies now and make changes quickly. We simply can't wait any longer. While our international rankings are troubling, what's worse is the direction in which we appear to be headed: We're falling farther behind each day.
Let's work together to reverse that trend. I can't think of anything more patriotic or a bigger rallying point for Iowa's children.
Thank you for letting me serve you in Des Moines. Feel free to contact me at shawn.hamerlinck@legis.iowa.
Shawn Hamerlinck
State Senator
District 42
