Question

Why have many education experts recently placed an emphasis on altering the incentives that U.S. schools face rather than on increasing their budgets?

a) Due to financial constraints
b) To promote better resource management
c) To incentivize improved performance
d) As a response to political pressure

Answer 1

Education experts are focusing on altering school incentives rather than increasing budgets due to a lack of improved student performance with higher spending. Proposals include regular testing, rewarding performance, teacher training, school choice, new schools, and student vouchers.

Step-by-step explanation:

Many education experts have emphasized altering the incentives that U.S. schools face, rather than simply increasing their budgets. This shift in focus is due to the observation that increased financial resources have not necessarily resulted in measurable gains in student performance. Experts suggest that the problems might be due to the structure of educational institutions and the incentives they have to succeed. Some proposals to alter the incentives include:

• Regular testing of students
• Rewarding teachers or schools with strong test performances
• Requiring additional teacher training
• Allowing school choice for students between public schools
• Enabling teachers and parents to start new schools
• Implementing student vouchers for tuition at public or private schools

These alterations aim at creating an environment that promotes efficiency, innovation, and a more strategic use of existing resources to enhance educational outcomes.