In mock college application essay, NC teacher explains how state leaders are failing our kids

Students succeed in spite of state education policy, not because of it

Students across North Carolina are working on their college applications.  If I were one of them, this would be my response to a common application prompt:

Common App Prompt #2

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Many obstacles I encountered throughout my education were put there by those whose job it is to support me, my school, and my community. The overarching obstacle I have faced is overlooking all the ways my state government has tried to tell me I am failing, along with my classmates, teachers and school.

I tried finding my favorite English teacher to help me with this essay, but she left teaching for a job outside of education. She was great. I had hoped my younger brother would have her.

I’m still trying to figure out who can write recommendation letters for me. My club advisor from last year moved to teach in another state. I’m sure she would have written a great recommendation, but I don’t know how to get in touch with her. My counselor will write one, but her caseload is 350 students even though the national recommendation is 250.

When adjusted for inflation, the state invested more money per student when I started Kindergarten than it currently funds per student in my last year of high school. We’re still waiting on a bipartisan compromise budget from our state leaders for this school year.

Can we close the per pupil funding gap before I graduate? Or are tax giveaways to corporations and the wealthy an obstacle to making that happen?

Most recently, I received a printout of my state math test results (just in time to write my college admission essay!) The letter accompanying the results said that I am not “on track for career and college readiness.”  I guess I should stop writing this essay.

Instead it has offered yet another example of the attempts to say that I am not good enough, and neither are my teachers or school. 75% of my peers throughout the state (many now applying to college or preparing for the military or workforce) have now just been told we are not “on track.”

Does our state truly believe that 75% of us are not ready for college or the workforce? If so, it seems obstacles must be removed by activating these policies:

• Restore per pupil funding to the same level as when I entered Kindergarten.
• Build more brick and mortar classrooms to accommodate smaller class sizes so students and teachers can more closely work together.
• Provide students with actual textbooks to take home.
• Value teachers as experts who create innovative lessons and personalize learning for their students instead of paying for scripted lessons, software, and screens from “education entrepreneurs” motivated by personal profit.
• Welcome back 7,400 teaching assistant positions to develop math and literacy skills with people instead of software.
• Restore extra pay for a Master’s degree and improve overall pay so teachers stay in the profession long enough to become experienced and mentor incoming teachers.
• Stop unfairly labeling students, teachers, and schools as “failing” or “not on track for career and college readiness” as they succeed in spite of state policy and labeling, not because of it.

Looking at the conference budget, it appears you still refuse to do these things even when public school supporters took to the streets for two years in a row.

I guess I’ll have to work to undo those obstacles for those who graduate after me.  I don’t want my younger siblings, or my future children to have reason to write this same essay.  See you at the polls.

Sincerely,

A member of the NC Class of 2020

This appeared originally on Mackey’s blog educatED policy.