Vision Agenda: Learn

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Learn

What is our vision for quality education for everyone—our children and adults?

How will we ensure nurturing and learning environments from birth throughout adulthood, including high-quality preschool learning, superior K–12 school systems, excellent vocational and technical learning opportunities, and world-class higher education institutions?
How do we prepare all of our children and adult, with the knowledge and skills needed to prosper and succeed in life, find work in the businesses and industries that provide higher income jobs, be entrepreneurs, and run small businesses?
What business partnerships, mentorship programs, training programs, and other partnerships with faith-based and nonprofit organizations can help people further their training and development?

Vision Ideas for Learn from the Community Forums

More than 400 ideas were received related to Learn across the six community forums. Ten themes rose to the top. Each is written here as if the desired future has already occurred:

Participant Vision Ideas for Learn

Top School District: Prince George’s public school system is a fully-funded, “blue ribbon” school district boasting an extremely high graduation rate and known for its multitude of state-of-the-art school facilities.
Top Notch and Safe Schools: In every public school, all young people succeed in rigorous—and relevant—academic programs where class sizes are best suited for learning; classrooms and curricula are fully equipped with the latest learning technologies; behavior, discipline, and safety are conductive to learning; and no school is overcrowded.
Wide Range of Quality Choices: Students throughout the county have high quality choices—public and private—for elementary through high school, with focuses that include science and technology, performing and visual arts, business, trades, etc. The county has become a magnet for business relocation and for parents looking for great public schools for their children.
High-Quality and Affordable Higher Education: Throughout the county, Prince Georgians have access to high-quality and affordable options for post-secondary education.
Trade/Vocational Education: Ample high-quality education for trades and technical vocations is offered at the secondary and post-secondary institutions, and technology training centers in the county, all linked to the business sectors that are driving the 21^st-century economy.
Quality Teaching: Teachers who are high quality and well-compensated are in every classroom.
Multiple Venues for Youth Learning: Learning in the county extends well beyond the traditional classroom to after-school, outdoors, e-learning, and community learning (e.g., mentoring, internships, externships, etc.) to enhance education for youth of all ages.
Early Education: All county children receive a high-quality, free, preschool education.
Lifelong Learning: All adults have access to a wide range of education and learning opportunities to expand their skills, raise their incomes, and enhance quality of life.

10. Parental and Community Involvement: Parents and community organizations are consistently involved in the success of schools. Parents take major responsibility for the educational success of their children.

Assets, Opportunities, and Challenges

Below are many ideas about the assets, opportunities, and challenges for Prince George’s County to consider as we strive towards our Vision for Learn.

Assets

University of Maryland, in particular its M-Square research park, and bio-medical, education, business, law, and engineering research and programs.
Bowie State University,
Prince George’s Community College.
Countywide public school system is operating below 100 percent capacity, though capacity is a problem within many schools.
Great, hardworking teachers throughout the county.
Magnet and specialty public schools that are performing very well, such as Robert Goddard Montessori and Robert Goddard French Immersion
After school programs, such as Xtreme Teens provided by The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation.
Network of strong private primary, middle, and secondary schools

Opportunities

Leverage federal programs and funding expected to be part of the Obama Administration’s educational agenda.
Develop more youth programs to give them the support and training they need.
Position community colleges to train the workforce needed for tomorrow.
Expand workforce training in high schools, community college, and vocational schools.
Partner small business training with existing organizations, such as Prince George’s Community College, University of Maryland, Bowie State University, and high schools.
Utilize the National Children’s Museum, to open in 2013 at National Harbor, to educate about green choices and environmentally friendly and sustainable practices.

Challenges

Quality and reputation of public schools is a critical challenge.
Public school system consistently underperforms and has significant budget problems.
Teachers are overworked and underpaid.
Difficulty of reform in a large school system.
High dropout rates.
Community colleges competing in a challenging market with more on-line training opportunities.
Few higher education opportunities in southern part of the County