Education is the foundation of a great country. But what happens when the focus of why children are educated is lost in old fashion strategies and politics? The United States is neglecting proper education to its youth.  Personally, I believe schools are run in an extremely unethical manner. I think we could have a much better foundation if our students did not learn to standardized test.

But what is the purpose of schools? Well the actual purpose of schools in the United States is to learn to standardized testing. The actual purpose of school is to educate students on the the things they need to know to be successful. In other countries students are better educated. For example, students in other countries are learning a second language in elementary school.

A few schools in New York do not have to take standardized tests, due to a waiver. In an article called NYC Schools that skip standardized test have higher graduation rates, by Gail Robinson written On October 30, 2015 states “The consortium’s 38 schools have a state waiver allowing their students to earn a diploma by passing just one exam: comprehensive English. (An additional nine schools have a partial waiver.) Instead, in all subjects including English, the students must demonstrate skill mastery in practical terms. They design experiments, make presentations, write reports and defend their work to outside experts.” By not having students take standardized test they have higher graduation rates. Robinson states “of consortium students who were high school freshmen in 2008, 82 percent graduated by 2014, compared with 73 percent citywide. (All but two of the consortium schools are in the city, versus elsewhere in New York state.” The schools with no standardized test have higher graduation rates.
So now the question is why have standardize test if graduation rates are higher? Well, the world revolves around money. Without standardized test there would be no money for public education. To be truthful the schools don’t really see the money. For example, my school found asbestos falling from the ceiling in our gym. Asbestos is a heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral. Used for insulation, and fire resisting buildings. Asbestos is falling  out of the ceiling. Schools have no money for building fixes, music, arts, and supplies. So standardized testing isn’t exactly  giving the school money. They spend more money on making and grading the test then they do on our actual education and safety.

Schools today are not made to benefit children. So many things in schools make education seem irrelevant. Standardized testing isn’t a way of educating. We need actual learning. Like how to budget not how to find the quadratic function of an equation. Honestly, let's be real when is the last time you used used the math they taught in high school? How often do you use any of the information they teach?

What do students need to be successful? For starters we shouldn’t be fed information just to answer the standardized test. Once we finish the test we lose and forget all of the information. Second, not EVERY student has the same needs and goals for themselves. For a student like me who wants to pursue a career in either journalism or psychology, I don’t need to take classes like pre calculus or algebra 2. I need a math class that will benefit to my future like a class that teaches me how to budget my money, to check to make sure my checks are right. I know students who love math and want to pursue a career in computer science or accounting. They don’t need a class on how to write a 1,000 page essay on why somebody has a mental disability. Education at the high school level needs to be learning relevant to each individual student. We all have different needs.