The Schools Scandal
Twice the money. Zero progress. American spending on public education, adjusted for inflation, has more than doubled over the last three decades. What did taxpayers get for their money?
By Bill Costello at American Thinker
EXCERPTS:
‘The average math and reading scores of American 17-year-olds have not improved since the early 1970s, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress long-term trend assessment.’
‘The Program for International Student Assessment 2006 measured the math and science literacy of 15-year-olds in 29 countries that belong to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The results? American students placed in the bottom quarter in math and in the bottom third in science.’
‘Those who argue that the solution is more money for public schools have had three decades to test their theory. Increased spending has not led to improvement. American test scores have remained flat since the early 1970s even though per-pupil spending, adjusted for inflation, went from $4,489 in 1970-1971 to $10,041 in 2006-2007 — an increase of 124 percent.’
‘Television reporter John Stossel argued in his ABC News special report “Stupid in America: How We Cheat Our Kids” that the U.S. public education system is a government monopoly, and monopolies usually fail their customers. Stossel concluded that competition and choice can improve education just as it improves everything else.’
‘Embracing policies that give families the freedom to choose the schools their kids attend would not require more money from taxpayers. Instead, it would require the improvement of resource allocation. For example, resources could be more effectively allocated by allowing parents to use their kids’ share of public education funding to choose the best schools for their kids.’
FULL STORY
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