A nation should require all students to study the same national curriculum until they enter college Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you tak

While the importance of education in a child's development and in a nation's health and competency is rarely up for debate, the manner in which education is offered often is. A national curriculum allows

A national curriculum for all students would be beneficial in that it would set broad learning priorities that could be lost if different regions or cities were to create their individual curriculums. In creating a national curriculum, nations would have the opportunity to account for the diversity of thought and issues faced by different subsets of the nation, and allow for students throughout the nation to be exposed to these topics. For example, if sea level rise due to global warming is an issue in some regions, and fracking is an important industry in other regions, allowing students to study the urgency of climate change and the costs of reducing carbon emissions will allow them to develop critical thinking skills, and even better approach these national dilemmas as professionals. Some might argue that in some communities, schools might want to set their own curriculum that responds to their population, and that a national curriculum might interfere with this effort. However, a national curriculum is a foundation for schools, and communities that want to dedicate more study towards particular topics have flexibility to teach beyond the national curriculum as needed. Requiring students to study a national curriculum would allow all students to be exposed to issues that concern the country, and can broaden their horizons.

A standardized curriculum will not only promise a broadened education, but will also set a foundation for the national educational standard, allowing students from districts that had weaker curricula to be up to par with students from stronger school districts. Without the presence of a national curriculum, it is unclear what competencies students will have, and what subjects they will be familiar with when they graduate high school. This can have consequences on students from less prestigious school districts, as employers and colleges might overlook them in preference for graduates of school districts that have a record of academic excellence. Instituting a national standard will allow employers and institutions of higher learning to know compare students academic performance more evenly, and give them a baseline understanding of what skills a high school graduate will have. Though critics may argue that this will still be an issue with private schools, a national curriculum would still reduce this problem. By instituting a national curriculum for all students, nations can level the playing field and broaden opportunities for students to succeed.

Finally, a national curriculum would allow students and teachers greater mobility within their country. Without a national curriculum, if a student moves from one city to another, they may repeat a course, or have to skip a course. This is because often different school districts switch the order of courses (e.g. teaching geometry in 9th grade and algebra in 10th, or vice versa). Standardizing the order of courses will allow students to transition from one school to another with greater ease. A national curriculum can benefit teachers too, as their expertise in certain subject matters will translate effortlessly regardless of the district they teach in. Instituting a national curriculum will create greater mobility of students and teachers will make different regions of the nation more accessible to its population in general.

A national curriculum will not be easy to implement. However, if it is established thoughtfully and thoroughly, it can broaden the educational experiences of students, allow students to be more competitive when they enter the workforce or higher learning, and allow teachers and students—families in general—to move with greater ease throughout the nation.