A Comparison of Educational Reform in Finland and Washington State, USA

Abstract

This paper addresses aspects of global educational reform initiatives in the first two decades of the 21st century, comparing and contrasting these with the efforts of Finland, a nation in which students have recently and repeatedly outperformed other countries on international assessments. Utilizing the thesis that lessons from Finland can be used to support the educational reform work in the United States, a proposal for such implementation in Washington state is presented. Since strategies are often contextual, rooted in the history, beliefs, politics, and more of a country, such implementation must necessarily include sound analysis and adaptations to suit the new circumstances. While this paper focuses on educational efforts, an analysis of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data by poverty identifies an important factor outside education that impacts academic achievement, namely, childhood poverty. The paper concludes with a practical look at possible next steps to improve education within the current educational context.