European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 21, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily Magazine v by Patricia Mccormack United press International schools take it in the neck Lor teen age pregnancy venereal disease illiteracy obnoxious kids laggards Al kids anorexic kids nervous kids dropouts truants. They Are berated for kids who drink booze use narcotics and drive to eternity under the influence of either of both. Schools also gel blamed for kids who Sass parents kids who Don t sit up straight Mug in hallways scream at unseemly limes arid otherwise disrupt the school scape or Home front. Put All that alleged fault in the Back of your head and listen up about what s right with american education. So what s right plenty. Richard Miller executive director of the american association of school administrators brought some of the positives into focus during an interview. Other Points drawing plaudits were provided by the National association of elementary school principals run by Samuel g. Sava executive director. The Public schools of our nation have earned the Confidence of the people Miller said. This past year for example Confidence Levels Rose to the highest level since 1976, according to the Gallup poll. We depend on the schools to help solve some of the most important problems and Deal with some of he most important challenges in our  Miller backed the claim by making these Points in the 1950s. When sputnik was launched we looked to the schools to produce scientists and mathematicians who have helped to develop our technological leadership among the nations of the world. Our scientists also took us successfully to the Moon and have expanded our frontiers in  when our society called for social integration people looked to the schools for a remedy. The schools organized to meet the social Challenge. Now our nation faces an economic emergency. We Are concerned about the productivity of the japanese and germans. Again our nation has turned to the schools for  we have ate looked to the schools to Deal with the needs of the handicapped to make students employable and to provide them Wilh a multitude of other  we Are pleased thai achievement Levels Are up and we Are doing a belter Job of evaluating instruction. That we Are working More closely with business and Industry and that reforms under Way make schools better in preparing students for the  Ottow Good Point about the schools Are cited in the education almanac 1985 986. Put out by the National association of elementary school principals. Highlights Scholastic aptitude test scores have finally reversed a nearly 25-year decline. Since bottoming out in about 1980. Sat scores have been going steadily upward. Student achievement lest scores As measured by the National assessment of educational Progress have shown encouraging improvement in recent years in math and Reading Lor students at Ages 9 and 13. Meanwhile scores Lor 17-year-Olds have gone Down slightly. A downward trend in science test scores Lor 9-, 13-, and 17-year-Olds has continued. But with increased attention on science lately educators expect improvements the next Lime the tests Are Given. Students today attend school far More regularly than students in previous generations. During the 1869-70 school year Only 59 percent of the students enrolled attended school regularly. Today not Only do we have a higher percentage of students enrolled in schools but More than 90 percent of them attend school regularly. Schools Are enrolling More students earlier and keeping them longer. Lifelong learning what s More is becoming a reality As More than 21 million people participate in adult education programs each year. The Long held dream of assuring an appropriate education to every youngster is closer to reality in the United states than at any time. In any nation in history. American schools for example make special education programs available to virtually every child with a Handicap. Enrolments in Nursery and kindergarten programs Are expanding growing irom 4.2 million in 1970 to 5.8 million in 1984 and expected to hit 6.9 million by 1990. The record in enrolling and retaining students is one of educational Success supported by the latest statistics available Lor 1982 90 percent of our 5 year Olds were in kindergarten 99 percent of those 6 to 13 were in school grades 1-8 94 percent of those 14 to 17 were in grades 9-12 30 percent of those 18 27 were in College. The United states is now producing an All time High number of graduates with Bachelor s and other advanced degrees More than 955,000 Bachelor s each year More than 300,000 masters More than 33,000 doctorates. A most impressive achievement of the nation s schools has been the rapidly rising educational level of adults in the United slates Over the years. In 1910, the typical adult 25 years old or older had 8.1 years of education. By 1950. The typical adult had 9.3 years As of 1982, Tho typical adult had 12.6 years the level continues to Rise. The Lack that ust under 75 percent of our 17-year Olds have graduated from High school sometimes raises concern. But this is the highest percentage in our nation s history. In 1930. Lor example a comparable Ligure was 29 percent. The United slates is a world Leader in the percentage of its population enrolled in school and in the percentage of its Gross National product spent on education. The latest figures available for the school year 1980-81. Show that worldwide about 15 percent of the population of any Given country is enrolled in school and an average of 5.6 percent of each country s Gnu is spent Lor education. Grouping countries into major areas. North America including the United states leads the world Wilh 24 percent of its population enrolled in school and 65 percent of its Gnu spent Lor education. Here s How we compare to other nations latin America. 24 percent enrolled. 4 percent of Gnu Europe 19 percent enrolled. 5.5 percent Gnu Africa. 17 percent enrolled. 4.6 percent Gnu Asia. 11 percent enrolled 5 percent Gnu. Education in America is the primary activity Lor nearly 161 million. More than one of every four is involved As students teachers principals. The longer a student slays in school the greater lifetime earnings Are Likely to be. The . Department of Commerce and the Bureau of the census say As of 1979, a Man with less than a High school education could expect to earn $845.000 Wilh a High school education $1.041.000 Wilh one to three years of College $1.155,000 with four years of College. $1.392.000. Wilh five or More years of College. $1.553.000. The payoff is less Lor females. A woman with less than a High school education could expect to earn $500.000 Vilh a High school education. $634,000 with one to three years of College $716.000 with Lour years of College. $846,000 Wilh five or More years of College $955.000. Clearly our schools Are far irom perfect the National association of secondary school principals says. But their successes Are impressive. No other society has Ever set out to educate All its people regardless of their circumstances or the disadvantages or problems they bring to the classroom. Achieving the dream of education for All provides a formidable Challenge. Perhaps that dream and our stubborn dedication to achieving it Best defines the american  All that s Good about i  saturday september 21, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 13