The Development of Education in Urban Metropolitan Areas, Research Paper Example

Metropolitan areas are a significant part of a city’s structure, particularly its urban segment. Many metropolitan areas are segregated based on race, socio-economic status and education levels. As it relates to developing educational opportunities in metropolitan areas, it is important to note the significance of multiculturalism in equalizing these opportunities. Culturally different students have specific needs and often continual academic failure is seen with students in culturally different, minority ethnic groups, and this is measured by the lag in educational performance of these groups behind national norms (Gibson 1984).The reason for the cultural divide in educational opportunities is students from multicultural backgrounds often face challenges in life that tend to render them disadvantaged in “schools dominated by mainstream values…to remedy this situation multicultural education programs must be devised to increase home/school cultural compatibility” (Gibson 1984). This measure will likely increase the academic success for disadvantaged students who are culturally different.

Cultural Differences

Gibson (1984) refers to “culturally different” as home culture that is different from that of the mainstream, which is predominantly the middle-class Anglo-American group. It is also stated that minority or ethnic groups consist of students whose home culture differs greatly from that of the mainstream and often includes economic inequality in society; therefore, their school experience differs as well. This is especially true, considering the fact that “public schooling in the United States is dominated by mainstream culture” (Gibson 1984). This paradigm often creates a handicap for culturally different students in mainstream-oriented schools.

Additionally, most disadvantaged minority groups live in urban metropolitan areas; consequently, urban public schools are often disadvantaged as well. An article on the Penn State Graduate School of Education website states “Public education in the United States has not been an even playing field for all young people in urban, rural and suburban school” (PennGSE Teacher Education Program 2008). It is noted that this is because urban areas in U.S. cities have the least amount of the highest qualified teachers but have the most number of culturally different students, and this impacts students’ experiences at school in urban surroundings (PennGSE Teacher Education Program 2008).

Economic Inequality

As it relates to economic inequality and its impact on educational development in metropolitan areas, it is proposed by Duncan and Murnane (2011) that economic inequality is the real cause of the problems with urban schools. It is reported that research shows, over the last five years, there has been evidence that the main problem of urban schools is related to the national economy and the unequal distribution of household incomes. Students in households with the lowest incomes in society often show the negative impacts of this in their school performance.

Duncan and Murnane (2011) also suggest that improvements in public policies to address the issues and problems inherent in urban and metropolitan schools. This, in turn, suggests that economic growth can spur increases in the economic situation in individual households and lead to some closure in the economic inequality gaps between low and middle to high income households in society. Additionally, economic growth is shown as proportionately related to increasing educational development. According to Duncan and Murnane (2011), economic growth and a decrease in the gap between socio-economic statuses in the United States, during the latter part of the 19^th century and first part of the 20^th century, was partly due to an era of educational attainment in the country. In contrast, the last few decades have seen a decline in economic growth, further expanding the gap between the economic statuses of rich and poor households in the country.

Educational Successes or Failures

According to Duncan and Murnane (2011), a widening gap between income equality for families also creates a widening gap for the educational successes of children growing up in either rich or poor families. Additionally, a study conducted between 1978 and 2008 show an increase in the gap between test scores of children high- or low-income households, and this is a consequence of the gap between completed schooling of children in these households.

It is reported that “Over the last 20 years, the rate of affluent children who completed college increased by 21 percentage points, while the graduation rate of children from low-income families increased by only 4 percentage points” (Duncan and Murnane 2011). It is further stated that the educational successes of rich and poor children are directly related to their families’ economic status. Economic growth in a metropolitan area is spurred when its citizens attain higher levels of education. This is due, in part, to the ability of more affluent families to pay for enrichment activities for their children such as music or foreign language lessons, travel excursions, hobbies or summer camps. Education is not just limited to the classroom. Children’s educational knowledge is enhanced by participating in educational leisure activities and hobbies.

Boyd (1980) furthers adds that urban schools with low-achieving students are not just a consequence of the dynamics of the urban family or failed education policy, but are a consequence of an unjust macro-economy and the government policies that support the economy. Additionally, the problem is increased by the segregation of low-income workers in urban areas, but job opportunities in suburban areas where public transportation does not reach. This keeps poverty concentrated in city neighborhoods and their schools.

Residential Segregation

It is also significant to note that residential segregation based on income means that poorer children are more concentrated in urban schools. Consequently, low income children are likely to have classmates who come from low-income families as well. In addition to this, urban schools have a higher percentage of students with low achievement and behavioral problems. This breeds negativity in the urban school environment, and studies show that children’s ability to learn effectively in this type of environment is impaired (Duncan and Murnane 2011).

Equal Opportunities

Brown (1975) highlights the struggle of the poor to survive and have equal opportunities in life and states that “minorities have not been given an equal chance to maximize educational opportunities in this country” (247). Furthermore, Federal, state and local laws and acts of legislature mandate that quality education is a public right and has important social significance.

Benefits to Urban Public Schools

On a positive note, Brown (1975) also points out that urban public schools are beneficial as it relates to racial, ethnic and socio-economic diversity and this is representative of society as a whole. Not all students in urban schools are grossly underprivileged. The diverse make-up of urban schools gives its students opportunities to become multicultural and learn about different races and cultures. Another advantage to urban public schools is the opportunity for the administration to concentrate needed resources and trained personnel on the uniquely diverse demographic in urban schools.

Solutions for Urban Educational Development

Boyd (1980) suggests that a solution to systemic urban education problems is both school reform and public policy reform. In addition, it is noted that if the macro-economy impacts urban education quality, then what is considered educational policy needs to be revamped. The educational reform initiative has been visited before in this country, but there has been little improvement.

As it relates to educational reform, Boyd (1980) notes, as a nation, we have been counting on education to solve the problems of unemployment, joblessness, and poverty for many years. But education did not cause these problems, and education cannot solve them. An economic system that chases profits and casts people aside (especially people of color) is culpable (3).

This creates a trap in society, for the urban student, in that the system gives little hope for decent job possibilities or higher educational opportunities. “Only government policy can mandate that jobs provide decent wages; and adequate family income or public provision…” (3).

Economic opportunity provides urban neighborhoods with realistic hope by supporting the success of urban public schools, as long as the needed reforms are in place to prevent the problems associated with urban schools and urban educational development. Regarding the problems associated with urban metropolitan areas Boyd (1980) states:

Census 2000 revealed that over two-thirds of the poor in large metropolitan areas live in cities and what I will call “urbanized,” segregated suburbs. Only about a quarter (26%) of the poor in large metropolitan areas is rural. The concentration of so many poor people in relatively small urban spaces provides fertile soil for insurgency. It naturally offers a potential base for organizing a new social movement (5).

There are definite benefits to the implementation of a new social movement to help eliminate social inequalities in metropolitan areas. Economic justice is a beneficial concept for all, not just for minorities. Minorities are not the only ones who are disadvantaged. Millions of Caucasian families are of the working class or poor as well, and this group would also benefit from social reform (Boyd 1980).

Impact of a New Social Movement

A new social movement is beneficial to encourage change and evolution of negative conditions in urban neighborhoods and urban public schools and the consequences they bring. In regard to this, some schools are working to rise above the adversity and make provisions to effect positive change. For example, an article on NBCNews.com reports that a group of 100 students, parents and school administrators in Richmond, Virginia canvassed the streets to promote urban public school enrollment. The article further states that the Richmond school system is in recovery from a long history of “racial segregation and white flight” from urban schools. Boosting enrollment at these schools will help the schools maintain funding and educational programs (Urban Public Schools 2009).

Another example of the new social movement for urban education is an initiative implemented by the Detroit public school system. In response to the loss of over 45 percent of its students and school closures, over the last ten years, the city launched the “I’m In” campaign to retain district students. Endorsements for this effort include assistance from ex-NBA star, Derrick Coleman and comedian, Bill Cosby, along with private donations and pro-bono work from local companies and agencies (Urban Public Schools 2009).

Yet another example of urban schools taking charge of change in a new social movement is highlighted in an article in the New York Times. Rimer (2008) reports teachers and administration of several urban high schools take personal responsibility with aspects of their students’ successes. For instance, teachers at a south Boston high school take students on tours of the building where they will take their SAT exams, just to make sure they will know exactly where to go on the day of testing. Also, it is reported that schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee got rid of multi-track curriculums which put only a few students on track for college and now every student is on track for college, according to the revamped curriculum standards. Additionally, the school district in Prince George’s County, Maryland arranges college tours for children in seventh grade and up, and they have also added an Advance Placement curriculum to all high schools in the district (Rimer 2008).

These are valiant efforts to improve the plight of urban schools in this country, and this plight is seen as an urgent issue that needs remedying. Gone are the days where the high school diploma as enough. In today’s world, students need to move onto higher education, post high school graduation, and seek the knowledge, skills, education and training to succeed in society. Rimer (2008) mentions that “educators say, it is nothing less than revolutionizing schools built for another century, when a high school diploma was a ticket to social mobility in a manufacturing economy, and students with only basic skills could make it into the middle class.” This is all a part of the new social movement.

Society is aware of the importance of educating its up and coming youth so that they are productive citizens of society. Consequently, many metropolitan area schools are making their curriculums a bit more demanding and their graduation requirements more focused on college acceptance. In addition to changing the standard curriculum, many schools are initiating other standards movements such as the 2002 initiative of No Child Left Behind Act, signed into law by President George W. Bush, that proposes standards-based educational reform aimed at improving educational outcomes of disadvantaged children (ED.gov). One of the goals of this initiative is to see more students from urban public schools pursue college educations.

Rimer (2008) reports that about 68 percent of high school students, nationwide, attend college yearly, but thousands of those who are low-income students drop out every year as well. Demographically, less than 18 percent of African-American students and 11 percent of Hispanic students earn Bachelor’s degrees, compared with almost 33% of whites, between the ages of 25 and 29. Additionally, of the families with yearly household incomes of less than $25,000, just 19 percent have someone who earns an Associate’s degree, and this is compared to 76 percent of students in white households that earn $76,000 annually (Rimer 2008). This is a staggering difference that shows the disproportionate relationships between socio-economic status, ethnicity and residential standing.

Conclusion

The development of education in urban metropolitan areas is an ongoing, challenging task that is in the best interest of society. As demonstrated above, societies thrive when the people they are made up of thrive in social, financial and educational areas. The economics of a highly educated society is significant and proportionately related to the success of society’s citizens. Of particular significance, is the state of a society’s urban population and whether or not the people who make up this segment of the metropolis are thriving. Additionally, as shown above, this depends on the condition of urban public education levels of the population the population’s socio-economic opportunities. The problem outlined in this paper is the trouble with urban public school systems and the solution is, without a doubt, reform.

Works Cited

Anyon, Jean. Radical Possibilities: Public Policy, Urban Education, and A New Social Movement (Critical Social Thought), Routledge; New Ed edition (2005). Print.

Boyd, William Lowe. “The Political Economy of Education in Metropolitan Areas: Dilemmas of Reform and Public Choice.” Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis (1980), 2(1): 53-60.

Brown, Frank. “Problems and Promises of Urban Public Schools.” The Journal of Negro Education, 44(3): The Continuing Crisis of Urban Education (1975): 247-256.

Duncan, Greg J. & Murnane, Richard J. “Economic inequality: The real cause of the urban school problem.” The Chicago Tribune (2011). Web. 28 Nov. 2012. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-10-06/news/ct-perspec-1006-urban-20111006_1_poor-children-graduation-rate-gap

ED.gov. 2010. “Elementary & Secondary Education.” U.S. Department of Education. Web. 28 Nov. 2012 http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html

Gibson, Margaret Alison. “Approaches to Multicultural Education in the United States: Some Concepts and Assumptions.” Anthropology & Education Quarterly (1984), 15(1): 94-120.

PennGSE Teacher Education Program. “Why Teach in Urban Schools.” Graduate School of Education, n.d.. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. http://tep.gse.upenn.edu/inspire/inspire_why.html

Rimer, Sara. “Urban Schools Aiming Higher Than Diploma.” The New York Times, (2008). Web. 28 Nov. 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/education/17college.html?pagewanted=all

“Urban public schools push for more students.” NBCNews.com (2009). Web. 28 Nov. 2012. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32523214/ns/us_news-education/t/urban-public-schools-push-more-students/