| Increased Interest in School Rankings | | | | Effects of Low School rankings on Parents |
| It's difficult to remember a time when the public | | | | All parents want to give their children the best |
| school system in this country was under greater | | | | possible education, regardless of their socio-economic |
| scrutiny. Newsweek is running features on the | | | | status or which part of town they live in. That's a |
| subject, there are a plethora of sites online that | | | | given. It's a different scenario when parents can |
| cater to a growing demand for comprehensive school | | | | afford to live in any part of town they choose, and |
| rankings, and that most vociferous of public speech | | | | have access to any number of schools for their |
| mechanisms, the blogosphere, has enough to say on | | | | children. But for parents who find that their children's |
| the subject of listing schools based on rankings. Now, | | | | schools have been placed low on school rankings, it |
| the richest man in the world has stepped into the | | | | can be demoralizing to say the least. Such parents |
| picture. In the summer of 2006, Bill Gates and his | | | | might find it difficult to motivate their children enough. |
| wife Melinda announced the education program goals | | | | Effects of Low School Rankings on Teachers |
| of their charitable foundation, the Bill and Melinda | | | | A public school teacher's job is an unthankful one, and |
| Gates Foundation. | | | | for teachers in the low school rankings areas it |
| The announcement of the Gates' proposed education | | | | makes a tough job even harder. And it's really difficult |
| goals couldn't have come at a more appropriate time. | | | | to teach in a poorly funded and low-income school. |
| The public education system in the country is under | | | | Low school rankings can mean that funding for the |
| growing pressure to deliver amid increasing concerns | | | | school is considerably lowered, and this cuts into any |
| that the country's schools are churning out | | | | programs that the school may have planned. |
| semi-literate youngsters who might be ill equipped to | | | | Although there are some instances when low school |
| handle college level jobs in the real world. Proponents | | | | rankings will qualify a school for extra help. |
| of school rankings insist that these listings give high | | | | Effects of Low School Rankings on Students |
| school authorities a picture of where their schools | | | | Keeping dropout levels low in poor areas is tough |
| stand overall. These schools, they argue, can thus be | | | | enough without the added stigma of attending a "sub |
| motivated to better their schools rankings. As well | | | | par" school. Does that mean we should eliminate |
| intentioned as the idea behind school rankings may | | | | school rankings to save student's feelings? Of course |
| be, there is enough to indicate that such listings may | | | | not. But parents and administrators need to be aware |
| not always have the desired results on the quality of | | | | of the both the benefits and pitfalls of the school |
| education offered at those schools that are placed | | | | ranking system. |
| lower in the rankings. | | | | |