The American Center Party believes if there is a single solution to the problems our country faces it is education. By that we do not mean everyone should have a college education. We still need our plumbers, electricians, carpenters, bookkeepers, clerks and similar positions which are of great value to our society and will contribute to the growth of the middle class. For that reason,vocational- technical schools and community colleges provide a valuable service and opportunity for todays youth and others seeking to better themselves. However, the American Center Party does believe everyone should have at least a high school education or its equivalent, such as a GED, so that people will be functionally literate and able to cope with the basic needs of their lives. It is inexcusable and unacceptable that this country, with its’ wealth and strong belief in education sees its’ young people falling behind their counterparts throughout the world.

SUGGESTED POLICIES AND PROGRAMS

1. To that end, if it has not already happened, the American Center Party would repeal No Child Left Behind. Time has demonstrated that although it may have been well intentioned, it failed to achieve its goals of improving the education offered our children and prepare them for their future needs. Teaching them to achieve test scores does not necessarily teach them to learn and to grow. Let the teachers teach. However, the commission established herein should help establish minimum goals for each grade year, with no federal strings attached. These goals would be for such basic subjects as reading, writing, arithmetic and economics, including such seemingly simple tasks as balancing a checkbook and what credit cards and credit are all about. Those who fail to achieve the minimum grades in certain core courses should be required to attend summer school until the required levels are reached. Only then may they be passed to the next grade level. Teachers and parents should work together and be made to understand that passing a student who has failed to reach the minimum levels is grossly unfair to the student and her/his future. Just as important, we must make available to the exceptional student a summer school which allows them the opportunity to excel even further in the sciences, math and other subjects of their choosing. In addition, if the law doesn’t now exist, all students should be required to attend school until they have reached the age of 19 or the age of their classmates who are graduating. We are no longer a predominantly agrarian society and to allow students to leave school at 16, if that is still permitted, should cease, for the good of the student and their future.
2. In keeping with its belief that education is best served when in the hands of local school boards and states, the American Center Party would not impose Common Core criteria at the local levels. While the criteria may be well intentioned, that responsibility rests at home with the parents and the teachers. If the job is not done to their satisfaction let them seek change where it can be handled best, with the local school boards. The federal government can assist the states and local school boards through the commissions established herein, but the ultimate decision rests at home. Who wants a better education for their children more than their parents. We all want the best for our children.
3. While the American Center Party doesn’t have an answer at present it will undertake to study the huge debt burden now facing our college graduates in an effort to find some solution. For our young people to receive their college degrees, only to find they have a debt which will be with them during the early years of their lives with families is unacceptable and must be remedied in some way. However, those who advocate paying off this debt are being disingenuous, if not intellectually dishonest.With a current national debt of over $21 trillion and an annual deficit of $1 trillion or more, we cannot afford to pay off $3-4 trillion in student loan debt.
4. There should also be a system established wherein local schools can coordinate with local employers and unions to find job placement for students graduating from high school, but who will not be attending college. A similar system should be established at the community college and vocational-technical level.
5. The American Center Party sees no reasonable explanation to justify continuing with the Department of Education and recommends it be abolished. The money spent here is far better used at the local level rather than with bureaucrats. In its place would be a small commission comprised of elementary and secondary teachers and administrators from throughout the United States who will help establish guidelines for state education. These guidelines will be established annually to assure our schools and our students are competitive with countries recognized for their outstanding education systems. They will be provided to each school district throughout the United States to assure our parents and our educators know what must be done for our students to compete internationally. However, fundamentally, elementary and secondary education should remain the primary responsibility of the states and local school boards and under their control.
6. There has been much discussion about free college education for the young people of this country. While this is a laudable goal, the American Center Party believes those advocating this position should be honest with the people and acknowledge that there is no such thing as a free education. Someone is paying for that education and it is the tax payers. Sadly, because of our annual deficits and our national debt, the taxpayers who will ultimately pay for that free education will be the young people receiving it. In addition, those at the federal level advocating a free education should also acknowledge that the colleges they are talking about are state and local colleges over which the federal government has little control. Thus, it is the states and local government who will face the cost of that free education.
7. Finally, the federal government should make available to the states the sum of $5000.00 per year for every elementary and secondary school teacher in public schools for the next five (5) years, at least, to help assure a continuous flow of teachers to the teaching profession and to help stabilize the public schools of this country. In response to that teachers should continue to be required to attend education courses yearly to assure they are up to date on their education. Since it is estimated there are approximately 3.4 million elementary and secondary public school teachers in the United States today, this would cost approximately $17 billion annually. That is money well spent on our children and their future.
8. In addition, the federal government shall give to each state the sum of $1 billion annually for at least 5 years for infrastructure and programs at the local level. These funds may be used for painting the school, for new AC/Heating units, for new football uniforms and basketball uniforms for girls and generally improving all sports. It may also be used for libraries, laboratories and other teaching assistance. In addition, if deemed necessary by the local school board, some of these funds may be used to hire armed guards and install metal detectors. The understanding would be that at least half the $1 billion annually must be given to inner city schools who traditionally have the lowest tax base supporting their school systems. None of this money may be used for salaries or pensions or similar programs.