Inflation, War, Government Spending Are Problems, But Inadequate Education is Paramount

The results of the 2017 and 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exams were shockingly disappointing.  The results post Covid-19 will probably be worse. In 2017 5% of Detroit public school 8th graders were proficient in math, with only 7% proficient in reading; Cleveland, Baltimore and Fresno were somewhat better with 11% proficient in math and 10-14% proficient in reading. Average national scores were better, yet unsatisfactory: 36% proficient or better in reading and 34% in math (Ref.1).  The 2019 math results were unchanged with huge variations by race (Ref.2). Reading scores in 2019 were down 2 points at 34% proficient (Ref.3).  We hear excuses such as cultural biases, it’s wrong to teach for a test, it is difficult to teach children from disadvantaged homes, etc. This is just a smoke screen to deflect reality: public schools are failing the nation. We can no longer allow the special interests, Teacher Unions, School Boards, Teaching Certificate Granting Colleges/Universities, or distractions like discussions about critical race theory and bathroom use to distract us from dealing with this abysmal public-school performance. For the future of our nation this issue dwarfs inflation, irresponsible government spending or the war in Ukraine.
     What are we spending on public education? Is it adequate, is the money well spent? According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the fraction of total government spending on education in the U.S. is just above the average, greater than Canada, less than Belgium, but as we have a large, impoverished population should we be spending more? (Ref.4). U.S. Census Bureau data reveals that the U.S. spent $752.3 billion on 45 million public school pupils in 2019, a 4.7% increase over the previous year (Ref.5).  As most funding for public schools is a local and state responsibility, how important is federal monies? The federal contribution to public education in 2019 was 7.8% of total costs, authorized under a collection of fine sounding laws that with the extremely poor performance of eighth graders is probably wasting taxpayers’ money. States provided 46.8% with 45.4% from local sources. Monies per student varies considerably by state, from $24,040 (New York) to $7,628 (Utah) with a national average of $14,891 (Ref6).
        Should there be competition to public schools?  The results are in, and the answer is a resounding “YES.” Competition from charter schools increases public school performance (Ref.7). However, it appears that this administration is in favor of the status quo. Even though a recent education department report revealed grade inflation over the past ten years and that many public-school courses are not as rigorous, the department at the same time issued regulations for charter school grants that would inhibit their creation (Ref.8). In lieu of the present failure of public schools, one would think federal monies would concentrate on innovation and assessing results.
    Abraham Lincoln believed in universal literacy declaring education “the most important subject which we as a people can be engaged in” (Ref.9). This is just as true in the 21st Century as it was in the mid 19th Century.  Our nation cannot thrive, and our democracy exist, with multiple millions poorly educated future citizens. A healthy nation must have most of its citizens fully productive to the maximum of their potential. To do so, they must have cultivated minds.
    There is little doubt, our public school system is failing. We must explore many options, charter schools, smaller classes, multiple adults in the room ensuring good demeanor, increasing the school day and more school days.  We must be flexible, resilient, creative and data driven. Our goal should be no less than 90% of students proficient in reading and math at the 8th grade level.

1. Terence P. Jeffrey, 65% of Public School 8th Graders Not Proficient in Reading, 67% Not Proficient in Math, cnsnews, May 1, 2018, available at: https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/65-public-school-8th-graders-not-proficient-reading-67-not-proficient (accessed May 2, 2022)

 2.  NAEP Report Card: Mathematics: Grade 8: 2019, available at: https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/mathematics/nation/achievement/?grade=8 (accessed May 5, 2022)
3.  Results from the 2019 Mathematics and Reading Assessments, available at: https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/mathematics/supportive_files/2019_infographic.pdf (accessed May 5, 2022)
4.  Education at a Glance 2019, OECD, Page 304, available at: https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/education/education-at-a-glance-2019_f8d7880d-en#page304 (accessed 5/4/2022)
 5.  Erika Chen, U.S. Spending on Public Schools in 2019 Highest Since 2008, United States Census Bureau, May 18, 2021, available at: https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/05/united-states-spending-on-public-schools-in-2019-highest-since-2008.html#:~:text=The%20nation%20sp (accessed 5/4/2022)
 6.  Imed Bouchvika, U.S. Public Education Spending Statistics for 2022, Research.com, July 2021, available at: https://research.com/education/public-education-spending-statistics (accessed 5/4/2022)
7.  Patrick Wolf, The Data Bears It OUT, Educational Freedom Means Higher Educational Achievement, 21st Century Endowed Chair in School Choice at the University of Arkansas, March 25, 2021, available at: https://projectforeverfree.org/the-data-bears-it-out-educational-freedom-means-higher-educational-achievement/  (Accessed March 26, 2021)
 8.  Jason L. Riley, The Biden Administration’s New Salvo Against Charter Schools, WSJ, April 26, 2022, available at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-biden-administrations-new-salvo-against-charter-schools-education-k-12-dropout-rates-reading-proficiency-1165100394 (accessed April 26, 2022)
 9.  Diana Schaub, His Greatest Speeches: How Lincoln Moved The Nation, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2021, Page 48

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