According to a recent Rasmussen survey only 30% of Americans rate US schools as ‘good’ or ‘excellent‘ and as a result they are not willing to pay more in taxes to support what they view as mediocre schools.[read_more]
Perhaps that’s because in the latest international educational assessments for 15 year olds, US students did not do well. More than half a million students around the world took the Programme for International Student Assessment in 2012. The US ranked 17th out of 34 countries. The US was behind such known educational powerhouses as Lativa, Korea, Poland, and Estonia. The full chart of results for all countries is posted below. From theatlantic.com article entitled, “American Schools vs.the World: Expensive, Unequal, Bad at Math”.
The U.S. scored below the PISA math mean and ranks 26th out of the 34 OECD countries. The U.S. math score is not statistically different than the following countries: Norway, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, and Hungary…
One in four U.S. students did not reach the PISA baseline level 2 of mathematics proficiency. At this level, “students begin to demonstrate the skills that will enable them to participate effectively and productively in life,” according to the PISA report.
That means 25% of our students don’t know enough math to function in life. That’s pathetic.
However, few countries pay as much for this mediocre education as we do. From the same Atlantic article,
America Spends a Lot of Money Per Student
The U.S. ranks fifth in spending per student. Only Austria, Luxembourg, Norway, and Switzerland spend more per student. To put this in context: the Slovak Republic, which scores similarly to the U.S., spends $53,000 per student. The U.S. spends $115,000. The PISA report notes that, among OECD countries, “higher expenditure on education is not highly predictive of better mathematics scores in PISA.”
Perhaps this explains why Americans are not willing to pay more in taxes for schools. It’s not because they hate children, or education, but they know they’re not getting their money’s worth in our schools today.
Click on image to enlarge.
28 comments
How much money do we have to “throw” at public school education before President Obama would sent his children to public schools?
Which public schools did Bush 43′ send his children to?
If I had my way we would take schools back to the 60’s. No air conditioning, no cell phones, limited computers. Parents pay for books and supplies. No subsidized lunches, no pizza, French Fries, junk food. Just to name a few things. I would also stipulate uniforms. I am tired of being held hostage for more money for a fake education.
Also, if a student takes their parents gun to school, the parent will have a mandatory minimum jail sentence of at least one year and a $10,000 fine. If someone is shot or killed by a student with their parents gun, the parents get charged with the crime.
Illegals and non-citizens would have to pay the actual cost of attending schools, and it would be deducted from their pay by their employer.
These are just for starters!
Why stop with the 60s? lets go back to segregated schools, not learning evolution, women not voting, and the Lords Prayer being said in schools.
Why should evolution be taught if Biblical creation is not? Why are some people afraid of Prayer and Creation? It’s seems illogical for non- believers to have a fear of something that they do not believe even exists? What are they afraid of?
I have no recollection of ever being required to pray, or praying voluntarily, while attending public schools during the 60’s or anytime else.
I never mentioned gender or race. Not sure why you want to play the race card, and the gender card? I would not be interested in playing either card.
I believe once again it was Liberal Republican Bush 43′ who helped screw up the education system with his “we ain’t flunking nobody”, better known as “no child left behind,” or, no accountability policy??? Made lazy parents happy!
Did the education system let you down? You seemed to have spelled Liberal wrong. Liberal is spelled, L-I-B-E-R-A-L, not Independent.
Wait, you were serious? I thought you were joking about going back in time 50 years. Wow, you continue to surprise me with your narrow minded, selfish, posts.
Why teach evolution and not the bible? wow, talk about time travel?
And you probably never noticed the prayer in schools but it happened. I was there.
I am serious and I certainly do not mean to offend you. I apologize if I offended you.
Why on earth would I kid about the sorry state of education these days? Are you saying that we are doing a better job with education now, that 50 years ago? If that is the case then why does this country continue in decline?
What, do we need to spend more money on education? That would fix everything?
Are you saying prayer is bad, or what? I do believe in separation of church and state. But I do not remember any religion in public schools I attended. But, it could have happened in other areas or schools.
But if they are going to teach evolution, they can also teach Creation. It would probably be better if they teach neither. Evolution cannot be proven. Let students believe what they want. Give them a choice. You got a problem with that?
The only thing that can save this country is a return to basic biblical principles. Where are good and evil defined? If not in the Bible, then where? Today’s schools?
If you choose not to believe in Creation, or the Bible, that is your choice, and your business.
You only concern seems to be saving you money. Do you ever do anything for the public?
No AC? No computers? How can any one take you seriously.
Yes, we are educating more and motivated students are more skilled now. That is how we continue to get computers, modern medicine, social media, and even civil discourse like what happens on this site.
I am not saying we should break the bank to fund schools with no limits. I do promote being reasonable and making wise choices.
Regarding teaching creation as well as evolution – you are way behind the times. That boat floated away years ago.
Yes, I am saying that organized praying in schools is a bad thing. Sports teams praying before games is a bad thing. Organized praying at graduation is a bad thing. These are also illegal now, but not back in the 60s and 70s, and even 80s.
As far as I know all public county and city schools systems rely/survive on state money. The money that county/city taxes provide is not enough for your education toys.
All states as far as I know rely on Federal money, which trickles down to schools. Without the Federal money, everything, including schools is in big trouble.
The Federal money is to a substantial extent, borrowed, or, created. We do not really know where it comes from because both Liberal parties block us from auditing the Fed.
Where does it end? Any county in Virginia will tell you that education is their biggest drain/expense, as far as I know.
Student loan debt is at about $1.2 trillion dollars, only because the government guarantee’s the loans simply because they are bad loans. The proof being that a lending institution will not make these loans without a co-signer, in this case the Federal Government.
Your vision of education is not financially sustainable. Mine is. Where did you get an education that taught you that your outlook on debt and spending is responsible? You are simply following the crowd, everybody else is doing it so it must be good. A few of us Creation people know otherwise.
The Evolution crowd has made sure that the education system “evolved” into the sorry state that it is in today. The proof being that the constant crying for more money to fix a broken system that is far behind other countries in results. Other countries get far better results with far less money.
I think it is virtually impossible to be a Conservative and be involved in public education. With few exceptions, I generally vote Democrat simply to punish the Republicans for being Liberal. But I am personally so Conservative even Right Wing Blogs like this one despise my writing.
And yet you think turning off the AC and throwing out computers is the way to save money. This is not conservative thinking as much as crazy thinking
It is certainly no more crazy that your idea of throwing more money at education to fix it.
As long as people are paying to feed the neighbors childlen at school, paying professors over $500,000 a year, you seem happy. Are you also happy with the 10% percent increase in spending in this years budget over last year? One year, 10% bigger budget in Virginia???
Did your paycheck increase 10% in the last 5 years, much less 1 year?
You conveniently do not comment about where the money the Fed throws around will continue to come from?
What is your opinion of Proverbs 13:24?
Just don’t focus on A/C and computers? Ok?
Your notion of professors being paid that much was disproved in a different post. Stop repeating lies.
Also, we already decided that the federal lunch program is essential and worth every dime. Your previous statements that the only ones hungry are those that choose to be hungry is insane.
Regarding 13:24, where in the constitution will I find that?
I do appreciate your backing off the AC and computer comment. I see that you can be reasonable given enough time
Save the country from what? While there are evil and crazy people, there are plenty of people doing good, being charitable, raising families, teaching children, and making out community a better place.
Who are you targeting with your comments?
Is our country a better place to live than it was say 25 years ago? Is the quality of life what it was?
Just about every morning in the Richmond area we wake up to the news about how many were shot in Richmond overnight.
Practically every week, another school shooting somewhere in the country.
Those who want to normalize same sex behavior.
Wars that never end.
The majority of the country either taking legal or illegal mood altering drugs. So many people on anti-depressants, it is now in our drinking water.
Save us from ourselves, that’s what.
Water supply? Do tell
One of many articles.
http://www.consumer-health.com/services/PrescriptionDrugsinYourFoodandDrinkingWater.php
You disappoint me. I thought you were going to tell me that the government was drugging us to keep us submissive.
You know some of my views and concerns. Now, are you going to be the typical Republican, and just attack my views?
Or, by golly, do you have any views or ideas of your own?
Other than screw the middle-class of course.
Financially, I am very conservative and believe in understanding incremental costs. I want my taxes to be as low as possible. I also believe that we need to pay for what we need and what we use. I am more interested in value that only cost.
I am for the constitution and majority rules
Socially, I am against govt intervention into personal lives.
More than anything else, I am for logic and facts. This last one is where you and I greatly differ.
Where have I not been factual?
How about the professors earning $500k? Not true. How about saving money by turning off the AC? Quite illogical. Eliminating the federal lunch program. Extremely short sites.
Check the link below, do you not see 4 out of the top 10 with “professor” in their title’ who are above $500,000 base pay? Yes or no? Is this a “right wing”, or “left wing” blog? Don’t get me wrong, private schools can pay “whatever the market will bear”, but these are taxpayer subsidized schools.
http://datacenter.timesdispatch.com/databases/salaries-virginia-state-employees-2012/
you really are lost in space! There are only 11 people on that list that earn more than $500k. They include the basketball coach at GMU, the dean at the UVA business school, and the president at GMU. Again, the facts don’t back up your outrage. There are not many people in education in VA earning that much. You are not being factual, just silly.
If higher education costs are not “excessive”, then why have those who participate in it racked up $1.2 Trillion in student loan debt? If higher education is such a good value, why does the government have to co-sign for student loans?
Doesn’t make any difference, no state employee at a Taxpayer subsidized school should be payed 100’s of thousands of dollars. The governor is payed $175,000.
Tell me, why aren’t those VRS salaries paid directly from the money in the VRS? Why is the State still in the Retirement Business?
The state should get out of the Retirement Business also. Possibly if future Governers borrow from it enough like Republican McDonnell did, that will get the state out of the Retirement business, as there will not be any money left in it!
Tell me, are you defending you salary?
I am fighting against illogical arguments and non-facts. You like to throw out invented details and then, when confronted with the truth, you try to change the subject. You might have valid points but they get lost in your rants. Pick one topic and stick with actual facts.
No, you are fighting against realty.If you cannot read a simple web page I cannot help you.
I have to alter the subject due to your being unable to read and interpret info.
Besides, there are many professors making $300-400k further down the list. What, you say they do not exist? Or, are they “underpaid”?
The truth about what professors make at taxpayer expense in BASE pay alone seems to really hurt you? Just why is that?
Now you are complaining about $300k salaries. Make up your mind.
Now the real question is why are you complaining about colleges in a post about public schools, not universities? Stay on topic.
Cue the whining commenters.
you are the first