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Ask the experts and they all agree— schools with robust foreign language programs can bring students to the next level.

Public schools that invest in teaching foreign languages, whether through a full-fledged program or just a few classes, are certain to see the benefit in their student body, extracurriculars, and overall reputation. Full language programs start at an early age, immersing children in language classes every year from K-12, with extracurricular clubs, field trips, and learning experiences to enhance their language education.

It’s clear there is currently a gap in language education. As of 2008, only 18.5% of K-12 students were enrolled in a foreign language class. From 1997 to 2008, public and private elementary schools offering foreign language instruction decreased from 31% to 25%. These numbers are simply not acceptable.

This video outlines the benefits of learning a foreign language.

There are many reasons why schools, even those at the most elementary levels, should institute a foreign language program into their core curriculum. Dr. Jennifer Austin, an associate language professor at Rutgers University, is an adamant believer in the benefits of language studies. “Researchers have found that there are lifelong cognitive and academic benefits to becoming bilingual.”

Robert Riger, Vice President and Director of Pimsleur Language Programs, believes foreign language is the gateway to the rest of the world. “At an age where students begin to form individual preferences, dreams, and set priorities,

Once children have graduated from diapers and baby food, the next big decision for parents becomes where to send their precious tots to school. There are many choices available to parents today, from the neighborhood school down the street to charter and private schools in the area. How does a parent know which school will be the best fit for his child? The choice is never easy, but it helps to weigh the pros and cons of each of these types of schools to see which might present the greatest benefit.

Cost

One of the first variables parents must weigh when comparing the various types of schools is cost. Public schools are “free” institutions by law, although they may charge fees and students may be required to provide their own supplies. Charter schools are also considered public schools, so there is no tuition cost assessed. However, private schools can – and do – charge tuition to students and their parents, and in some cases, those costs can be rather high.

According to a report at , the average tuition cost for private secondary schools during the 2007-2008 school year was around $10,500. also cites statistics from the National Catholic Education Association that show while private parochial schools tend to charge lower tuition rates, the average tuition for these schools is still around $2,600 for elementary schools and nearly $7,000 for secondary schools.

Enrollment

Public schools are required to accept

Students in the public school system in the United States are eligible for a variety of services, depending on their needs. Under Title I, students in need are provided with additional assistance to promote their success in school and beyond. Title I funding is provided to more than 90 percent of the school systems across the country, with the money used in various ways to help low-income students break the cycle of poverty with the tools they need for academic success.

What is Title I?

Title I is one of the oldest public education programs in the United States and one of the largest. The program provides additional funding to school districts with a large population of low-income students to help students in this demographic meet the academic standards assigned by the state. The program was established as Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and its purpose is to “ensure that all children have a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education,” according to the U.S. Department of Education website.

This brief video gives us an overview of Title I.

The Department of Education also lists strategies that local school districts should implement to achieve that purpose with the provided funding, which include:

• Meeting the educational needs of low-income and minority students
• Holding schools and governments accountable for the academic achievement of students
• Use of tools, assessments, and

Public schools enjoy a long and illustrious history in the United States, with the first schools in the country dating almost as far back as the arrival of the Puritans on U.S. shores. Since that time, the purpose, philosophy, and goals of public education have been examined and debated, up to the development of the public school system still in existence today. How we got to the current point in public education warrants a look back centuries at the very first schools dedicated to educating American youth.

Puritans Recognize Need for Public Education

As early as the 17^th century, the need for public education was recognized by the Puritans living on American shores at the time. This population determined education was essential both for teaching basic academic skills and core religious values. Boston Latin School was established as the first public high school in 1635 in Boston, Massachusetts. The school is still in operation to this day.

This video looks at early American education.

The Massachusetts Bay Colony decreed in 1647 that towns of 50 people should have a public elementary school, and those with populations of over 100 should have a Latin school. The primary function of schools at this time was to teach reading so that children learned to read the Bible. Schools also taught Puritan values and basic information about the Calvinist religion, according to Applied Research Center.

Religion Dominates Early

As No Child Left Behind waivers are doled out to states nationwide, the next question becomes what will take the place of the federal mandate to assure parents that schools are up to par in meeting the academic needs of students. Each state is left to its own devices in this regard, creating a sort of scorecard – or report card, if you will – to assess each school's performance in a district. However, while report cards may work reasonably well for individual students, grading an entire school district with a single rating system is proving much more challenging.

Conflicts within the Grading System

New grading systems within school districts offer parents a more accurate glimpse into the individual performance of schools, much better than national test scores alone. In some states, these grades incorporate several factors, including standardized test scores, attendance, and graduation rates. Parents say grades are important in helping them choose the best schools for their children. Schools, on the other hand, are concerned that this information may not accurately reflect an individual school’s performance.

Another concern is that new grading systems had to be implemented much too quickly to provide a real snapshot of an individual school's performance. The fast deadlines and more rigorous standards may reflect an inaccurate assessment of the number of underperforming schools in any district. Some states also create new, statewide standardized tests; current scores will not reflect the new standards. Amid the debate, the students