How Millennials Can Reform The School System?

The most widely-held ideas about how the schools of the future should operate mostly relate to personalized education that will minimize the distraction of irrelevant subjects. A personalized system would ensure that all individuals would be treated as such from the earliest stages of their education and all the way to the end. One of the concepts that is already being implemented is indicated in the term charter schools. These institutions represent public schools, they are tuition free, and there are more than 6,000 of them currently in the USA. Charter schools truly represent schools of choice, which means that families choose to enroll their children in schools that work with freedom from the traditional regulations we are accustomed to seeing in the educational system. All of these charter schools are responsible and can be held accountable for their students’ outcomes and for fulfilling the promises they made in their charters.

According to a survey published by EdChoice last October, 66 per cent of the Millennials who took part in the survey supported the idea of charter schools, while only 19 per cent were opposed. This survey – conducted in the USA – showed that the national average of supporters is 59 per cent while 23 per cent were against this type of education. Comparing those two results, one notices that Millennials are more forward-thinking than the national average in the USA. This demographic also showed their strong support for school voucher programs, after a review of the available data. During the survey they were asked twice about their opinion on voucher programs, and the first time only 33 per cent of Millennials supported them. But the 2^nd time the same question was asked, after providing more information about what voucher programs actually are, increased support was evident, with 66 per cent of Millennials voicing support for voucher programs.

The school voucher programs, also a feature of education in the USA, are basically scholarships, provided by the State, that allow parents to use public funds to pay for their child’s private school fees. They basically help people, both parents and children, to get the education they want for free or at least partially funded by the State. There are requirements that need to be fulfilled, but nevertheless the concept is truly advanced. The fact that the USA is leading the way with new approaches to education is not surprising, and the results that indicate the Millennials are open-minded about breaking with the traditional education system should not be a surprise. This generation has already created a reputation for being a demographic that is tearing down stereotypes, abandoning traditions, and concentrating on personal growth. Education has always been extremely important to Millennials, thus they are the most educated generation ever. Does it really come as a surprise that the young people who are still in school or who have recently graduated, want to see the educational system change? Most Millennials have just left the classroom, and they know very well that the current educational system is not suitable for this time and age. They have all had difficulties with the system or at least they have witnessed others having problems with it. And due to the fact that they are Millennials, it is natural that they will stand up and support needed change regardless of who leads it, whether it’s a fellow Millennial, a Gen X-er, a Baby Boomer, or a Gen Z-ed.

Support us!

All your donations will be used to pay the magazine’s journalists and to support the ongoing costs of maintaining the site.