The public is invited to attend a town hall meeting on the federal government’s role in public education on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 9:30 a.m. in Neighborhood Congressional Church’s Bridge Hall, 340 Saint Ann’s Dr.
The discussion hosted by the League of Women Voters will explore whether the government should mandate a core curriculum for states and tie funding to the adoption of the required curriculum, according to Vera Martinez, a spokeswoman for the League.
Speakers include district Supt. Shirene Smith, the president of the California School Board Association, Martha Fluor; Fountain Valley Supt. Marc Ecker and other school officials.
A generation ago, the U.S. led all nations in college completion. Today, 10 countries have better rates. Their students aren’t smarter than ours; these countries are smarter about how to educate their students, Martinez said.
In low poverty schools, the U.S. ranked third in fourth-grade completion and sixth in eighth-grade. While other developed nations have poor children, the U.S. has a higher proportion. When UNICEF studied poverty in 22 wealthy nations, the U.S. ranked 21st.
