More Money, Better Education

More Money, Better Education
Oscar Wilde once said, “When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is.” The education system in America would be immensely better if it were funded better. Money would provide more motivation for teachers, better supplies for the students, and consequently a better future for America. Not only should the schools in America be funded better, they should be told how to spend the money they are given.
One driving force in America is money. The reason people work hard and long hours are for the extra money they can receive. I believe if the schools in America were given more money it would motivate the teachers to become better. If the educators in America received their salary based on their creative lesson plans, the attention they give each individual student, and the student’s test scores, teachers would work harder to educate the children. Also, if teachers got paid a hefty salary, it might encourage more people to become teachers. The more teachers there are, the more individual attention the students could potentially receive. One of the main reasons private tutoring centers are so successful in actually teaching students, is the private attention the students receive. It is so easy for students to get lost in a class of thirty children. If there were more people who aspired to be teachers because of the salary, there could be smaller class sizes; therefore, more individual attention would be given to each student.
Not only would more money in the education system motivate teachers, it would also provide better learning tools for the students. In the YouTube documentary, “Stupid in America,” Kansas City schools received two billion dollars extra to spend on education. Those schools decided to spend it on a new Olympic-size pool, a new weight room, and an indoor running track; however, imagine if those schools would have spent it for actual educational purposes. Money would allow schools to keep up with the growing technology of our world today. They would not only learn the core subjects in school, but they would also learn practical skills of working with technology. In the book, Educational Economics: Where do $chool Funds Go?, Marguerite Roza reveals the fact that education leaders say they want to focus resources on the core subjects of math, reading, history, and science, but per-pupil spending tends to be much higher for electives, extracurricular activities, and sports. If the public schools in America could receive more money and be more strategic in where they put those funds, I believe the American school system would become immensely better. Buying new computers, individual Ipads for the students, and science experiment materials, instead of purchasing weights, new football uniforms, or a new stadium would create a better learning environment for the students.
There are many people that say throwing money at America’s education problem is not the answer. In fact, according to Forbes Magazine in an article named “Time for an Education System Makeover,” Holly Green states that more money is not the “magic bullet solution for what our educational system needs.” Instead, Green thinks our education systems, structures and philosophies are archaic and need to be updated as we have learned more about how the brain works. While I believe there are multiple problems of our education system, I firmly believe well-placed money would benefit it. Change can be expensive. Training teachers on a new way of teaching, changing classrooms to become a better learning environment, and all new equipment would cost money. Money would provide an avenue for the school systems to change into a system that would truly educate American students.
There is no questioning the American schooling system is severely lacking. There are many things that could benefit the education system; however, I believe all these need to be funded by money. If more money were put into the school systems in America it would provide motivation for teachers, better supplies for students, and a way for the system as a whole to improve.

Works Cited
Roza, Marguerite. Educational Economics: Where Do [$]chool Funds Go? Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute, 2010. Print.
Stossel, John. “Stupid in America.” YouTube. YouTube, 24 Mar. 2011. Web. 19 July. 2013.
Green, Holly. "Time for an Education System Makeover." Editorial. Forbes Magazine[New York City] 05 Mar. 2013, 2013th ed.: 22-25. Print.

Cited: Roza, Marguerite. Educational Economics: Where Do [$]chool Funds Go? Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute, 2010. Print. Stossel, John. “Stupid in America.” YouTube. YouTube, 24 Mar. 2011. Web. 19 July. 2013. Green, Holly. "Time for an Education System Makeover." Editorial. Forbes Magazine[New York City] 05 Mar. 2013, 2013th ed.: 22-25. Print.