Many students In Morton East generally think well of their education.

According to “11 FACTS ABOUT EDUCATION IN AMERICA” by DoSomething, 30 years ago, America was the leader in quantity and quality of high school diplomas. Today, our nation is ranked 36th in the world. More recently, only one in four high school students graduate college-ready in the four core subjects of English, Reading, Math and Science. Most importantly, teacher quality is one of the most significant factors related to student achievement. In the U.S., 14% of new teachers resign by the end of their first year, 33% leave within their first 3 years, and almost 50% leave by their 5th year. 97% of low-income students rely on school for internet access, but 40 million students do not have high-speed Internet in school. Surprisingly, a 3rd grade student who reads at the appropriate reading level compared to a 3rd grade student who does not is 4 times more likely to graduate by age 19. Furthermore, a student living in poverty is 13 times less likely to graduate on time.

Based upon a survey of 100 students at Morton East, 72 believe the school is giving them a proper education and useful resources.

“(Teacher instruction) is well put, and (the education here is) well rounded; the classes teach what you need to know,” Angel Vargas, a senior student said.

Resources are essential if you really plan to go to the next level on your education, but sadly many don’t use the resources provided by the school.

“Morton does give a great education and resources, but it depends on the student if they choose to take advantage of it or not,” Mason Medina, a junior student at Morton East, said.

Guidance plays a huge part in a student’s success; it’s not just about class content.

“(I think students need) more social-emotional support.  Kids will show up late, won’t attend, or ditch class because they are dealing with problems managing their emotions.  So, allowing more access to education on coping skills will improve students’ education,”  social worker Ms. Hade said.

There are some students that believe the resources given aren’t as good as the ones provided by some other schools.

“Personally, I changed schools a lot, I’d say in a sense the other schools offered more and better opportunities,” Fernanda Ledesma, a senior, said.

Some students just want a normal job right after high School.  Morton East is equipped to handle that as well through its college and career center.  Unfortunately, some students think the center just focuses on college.  They ignore the “career” part of the title.

“Students don’t take the College and Career stuff seriously because they don’t want to go to college, they’d rather just get a regular job rather than get an education,” senior Christian Mojo said.