Here's a new concept to weigh: An education degree should be earned 90% in a regular school classroom and 10% at a university.
Why?
a) Place two adults in each classroom, a teacher plus a student teacher, which would be much safer for students.
b) The student teacher would spend five days a week in the classroom, learning the reality of teaching, rather than at university writing essays. Teachers trained in the way would be much more effective teachers and would graduate with a four- or five-year degree that really means something.
c) Student would attend a university setting one Saturday per month and one July or August per year.
d) Student would pay 50% tuition to the school district, which would improve funding for the district, and 50% tuition to the university. Education professors could visit classrooms periodically.
This system provides:
1. Improved safety for the school.
2. Improved learning for pupils.
3. Improved school funding.
4. Improved learning atmosphere.
Dan Propp's book, Edge-U-Cation, delves into other radical ideas on the topic of changes in educational systems.