The Big Ideas Project

I propose Students be paid as long as they try really hard and succeed Effort should be rewarded and encouraged. Students should not leave college in massive debt. Education should not be a business for profit, it should be an investment for the future; a future that is not part of some corporate scheme but one that is open to wider possibilities.

Submitted by Nigel Dandridge-Perry in Education Dec. 20, 2014, 1:20 p.m.

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#2046

37 votes

The nation as a whole benefits from a better educated population. We must do all we can to promote educational excellence at every level. Therefore I propose that a program be started by the govt to purchase and forgive all private or govt education loans taken for any kind of post secondary study or training, not just college. Then each person receiving such help shall have a 2% surcharge on their taxable income each year until the principle is paid back. This way the money currently being paid

Submitted by Larry W in Education Dec. 12, 2014, 7:51 p.m.

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#2056

36 votes

Pay students a non taxable award for achievement. Give incentive to succeed. Invest in our future instead of punishing our children for going to college.

Submitted by Nigel Dandridge-Perry in Education Dec. 17, 2014, 4:22 p.m.

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#2091

34 votes

Many European countries provide close to 50% of the education budgets of the countries schools and our gov't can and should so the same.

Submitted by Dan F. from CA in Education Dec. 19, 2014, 1:04 a.m.

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#2107

33 votes

Certify all 2 year (Community, Commuter, Jr) Colleges to fully degreed 4 year schools, on one condition. They MUST keep their unit costs, book costs and Tuition exactly the same as they are currently. That way everyone can afford an education..

Submitted by GlennB in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 3:05 p.m.

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#2107

33 votes

Cost-Control higher education by making federal aid and subsidies conditional on a single formula measuring value, academic vs. non-academic spending, and the number of low- and middle-income students universities take in. Then replace loans and grants with government-covered tuition and fees that are repaid with after graduation with an income surtax of 5% for university graduates and 3% for community college graduates. In the meantime, support a bailout of students paying off large loans

Submitted by Mark in Education Dec. 31, 2014, 3:45 p.m.

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#2123

32 votes

Regarding the California Lottery, I would like to see a Lotto ticket with an actual California schools' name printed on it. Whoever wins $$ will know that a portion, let's say, 30% will actually go to that particular school. I read that California schools are in big trouble with little or no money; well, isn't the California Lottery helping fund public schools, or is the money going somewhere else??

Submitted by David M. from CA in Education Dec. 13, 2014, 1:26 a.m.

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#2123

32 votes

Explore the effectiveness of performance (competency) based learning, as it was executed in the Chugach School District in Alaska and is advocated for by the Re-Invent Schools Coalition (RISC), in a number of other schools and, if its effectiveness proves repeatable in different settings, advocate for its broad implementation. Stop social promotion. Support relevant content and subject mastery before promotion.

Submitted by Edward Cramp in Education Dec. 13, 2014, 11:20 a.m.

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#2156

29 votes

Implement a national, one-time tax on every citizen's gross-annual income to pay down student loan debt. Additionally, implement the same tax on all businesses net-profit. Then, forgive all student loans and set-up a system that allows you to use flexible spending to pay future student loans and tuition.

Submitted by jessetbeam in Education Dec. 30, 2014, 4:20 a.m.

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#2156

29 votes

Nationalize our education standards, and all schools. Formerly private schools would continue to operate, but would be funded by the government and would teach the national curriculum. Public schools would be funded and managed like the civil service system (i.e. DoDS Schools). President would appoint a superintendent for each of the states and territories, and state superintendents would appoint regional supervisors for schools. Example: European systems like the UK and France.

Submitted by vince in Education Jan. 4, 2015, 6:43 p.m.

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#2175

28 votes

Make it easier to get the "bad apple" students out of the classroom. I have yet to hear of a sensible protocol or a teacher who has dealt successfully with the kid who won't sit down and/or won't be quiet. Make it easier to kick them out of school and the whole education system will improve.

Submitted by John Norton in Education Dec. 18, 2014, 2:40 a.m.

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#2191

26 votes

Create a "Citizenship Scratch-Off" game funded with 1% of national gambling receipts. Playing is free; participants learn about democratic principles and about opportunities to volunteer. Playing increases the chances of winning prizes, further promoting participation.

Submitted by Timothy B. from OR in Education Dec. 10, 2014, 2:09 p.m.

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#2191

26 votes

Get all text books and learning modules/materials that are on paper and move ALL schools to a paperless environment within 5 yrs. Younger students would use the same age appropriate "laptop" type of computer. As the student learns and moves to higher grade level material, appropriate hardware and software would be provided. The real world is moving to paperless, why are schools stuck with books that are so old they are falling apart.

Submitted by Nancy H. from NV in Education Dec. 31, 2014, 1:41 a.m.

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#2191

26 votes

Return the control of Education to the grassroots, the local level. We've moved from local level to state level to federal level on control of education

Submitted by Descarte in Education Dec. 11, 2014, 7:35 p.m.

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#2205

25 votes

Require community service or make this an elective class at schools and colleges. This teaches hospitality and care of things.

Submitted by lseitz in Education Jan. 8, 2015, 8:05 p.m.

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#2238

21 votes

Get government out of education and convert to a proficiency based education system. Where anyone can get a proficiency certificate in anything they want. This will allow employers to know what they are getting when they hire a new employee.

Submitted by Chyle in Education Dec. 12, 2014, 8:03 a.m.

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#2256

20 votes

Bring back class sorting so that the best students aren't held back by the mediocre ones. Also, create a federal level network of for free boarding schools for the most gifted children, using the money that would have been spent to put them through regular schools.

Submitted by jumpy in Education Dec. 11, 2014, 9:22 p.m.

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#2256

20 votes

put the education back in the public schools. It is a known fact that kids learn faster the younger they are. I have a suggestion to make the junior high and high schools better. Include classes that do not take a whole year, make them packet classes in 6-8 week incriments. I also would like to see the students be able to graduate with certificate classes, like in welding, broadcasting, real estate sales persons license,

Submitted by Oaken in Education Jan. 11, 2015, 7:24 p.m.

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#2281

18 votes

National lottery to fund preschool for all.

Submitted by Zbigniew J. from NC in Education Dec. 19, 2014, 7:24 a.m.

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#2291

17 votes

Eliminate standardized testing in favor of democratic curriculum. Students have no ownership or say in their own educations and are instead forced by adults to participate in a system they are not engaged by. Similar to our bill of rights, students should have a set of rights to education. This will guarantee them more than measuring outcomes that are built from pre-prescribed curriculum.

Submitted by Mike S in Education Jan. 10, 2015, 5:03 p.m.

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#2312

15 votes

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