by Jennifer Little

As we survey the many challenges facing American public education in the 21st century, consider these shocking statistics contained in the sobering new documentary movie by Davis Guggenheim titled Waiting for Superman:

• Among 30 developed countries, the United States is ranked 25th in math and 21st in science. When the comparison is restricted to the top 5 percent of students, the United States is ranked last.
• In 1970 the United States produced 30 percent of the world’s college graduates. Today it only produces 15 percent.
• Eight years after the passage of No Child Left Behind, the United States has four years left to reach the legislation’s goal of 100 percent proficiency in math and reading. Most states are now hovering around 20 percent or 30 percent proficiency.
• Barely half of African-American and Latino students graduate from high school. African-American students graduate at 51 percent and Latinos at 55 percent, while their white counterparts graduate at (a still lower than optimal) 76 percent.

While watching this movie I remembered what it was like to be in school, to be a child. Every child has a dream. Not one child wants to grow up to be a drug dealer; not one child dreams of going to jail and being a burden upon society. Each and every child dreams of something bigger, something better. Every child has the ability to do better. So why don’t they?