President Obama proposal on the national school system has sent teachers and their unions scrambling. This proposal is based on the same blueprint of a similar plan forwarded by former President Bush during his administration. In his weekly address, President Obama stressed that he hoped his plan would be to the benefit of both teachers and students. He encouraged teachers to remain in the field and insisted they be treated with the respect they deserve as true professionals and nation builders.

What does President Obama Education Plan Entail?

The education plan proposed by President Obama takes a multi-faceted approach to the revamping of the educational system. It attacks the many ills within the educational system from the angles of teacher and child with input and support from the Federal government. In his weekly address, the President stated that he hoped his education plan would make students career – or college-ready by the end of the decade.

In the first segment, Obama education proposal offers a series of competitive grants for both school and staff improvement. Here, schools would receive federal funding to create innovative programs that enhance the student-learning environment and promote student achievement.

The second segment tackles the problem of failing schools. Hard decisions will have to be made based on assessment done by education officials. Decisions will include whether to provide more federal funding under the plan for success program, replace the teaching staff and transitioning the school into a charter school. In these circumstances, the school is also given the opportunity to develop their own plan to retain its teachers and improve their performance in exchange for federal funding.

The third segment of education proposal introduces by Obama offers an assessment of teacher performance based on student growth. As a result, pay incentives will be offered to high performing teachers, especially those who work in schools that generally underperform.

Teachers’ Bone of Contention with Obama Education Plan

Not all teachers are happy with President Education Proposal offered by President Obama. They have mobilized their unions to express their disagreement. In a statement issued by Dennis Van Roekel, President of the National Education Association, one of America’s largest teachers unions, he said that his union could not support the administration’s proposal in its current form. This was echoed by others teachers’ union, American Federation of Teachers, who stated that they are failing to see how the President Obama proposal help both the students and teachers. Their statement went on to comment that the proposal places the responsibility of the success of students 100% at the feet of teachers.

The way forward for President Obama Education Proposal

From what we see of the President Obama education proposal, there is still room for dialogue. Both sides of the table have valid points. President’s proposal to establish a system of continuous assessment and accountability will encourage teachers to put in more effort in helping students to be successful. However, to place improvement at 100% at the feet of students is a hard to do as students are severely influenced by the environment in which the live. As a result, the plan should include some means of incorporating the parents into the overall educational development of their students as an aid to the teachers.

Some would argue that a college education may not be worth as much as you think. I say this argument is weak, especially in today’s economy and competitive job market. The fact is any degree is better than no degree. Degree holders are in a better position for job opportunities than their non-degree counterparts. It is also well known that college-educated workers earn more money than non-graduates and they have a lower risk of being unemployed. Higher earnings of degree holders show that employers prefer to pay more to have college graduates work for their company over non-degree holders.

Even though a college degree may not be the only safe path to professional and financial success or may not get you passed through your job interview right away, a college degree is still worth having. As a matter of fact, in some occupations having a degree is the only way to get the job. So won’t you say then, that there are more advantages to having a degree than not having one?

Advantages of a College Degree

Pursuing a college degree is both time consuming and costly, I would have to agree. But in the end, college graduates usually see a return in their hard work and financial investment. Most students who are pursuing a college degree usually set their sights on the long-term payoffs which include:

• Higher salaries
• Lower unemployment
• Greater promotion prospects
• Wider variety of career options
• Less likely to suffer from depression
• Quickly adapt to new tasks and technologies
• Easier to enter any of the fastest growing occupations

Job Outlook for College Graduates

According to statistics and projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), college graduates will continue to have bright prospects. Between 2002 and 2012, more than 14 million job openings are projected to be filed by workers who have bachelor’s or graduate degree and who are entering an occupation for the first time.

However, the career outlook of individuals with a degree will also depend on:

• The local job market
• The occupation you are trying to enter
• The economy
• Your level of experience
• Level of education attainment
• Field of study
• Employment growth
• The type of degree you have

Historically, education has paid off and the need for college graduates will continue to be in high demand in the workforce. More and more high school students will choose to go to college and earn a college degree simply because of the advantages of having a degree. With careful planning and research and selecting the right degree, is without a doubt well worth the investment. So, how worthy is your degree? I’d say it’s worth having one.