STUMPTALK: Tons of money and still U.S. education doesn’t stack up

Columns

February 9, 2009

By Jerry McDonough / Chronicle contributor The Crossville Chronicle Mon Feb 09, 2009, 03:27 PM CST

So good education is expensive, eh? American students continue to get badly beaten on international tests by other nations' students who spend less money and have larger average class sizes.

Let us look at the most recent facts coming from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Seventy percent of the countries ranging from Japan to Latvia outperformed America in combined math and science and compete for students.

The Pacific Research Institute reported that among the 32 countries participating in the latest OCED assessment, America led in teaching hours per public school year – 1080 – compared to the international average of 803. Germany and the Netherlands average 773 hours, Finland 600, Korea 575 and Japan 500 or half the American hours.

Apparently students require quality teaching time not quantity. Nor does money seem to be an issue. California has the eighth highest economy in the world and spends $40 billion on K-12 yet ranks 48th among states in basic reading and math performance. American cumulative spending per student between the ages of 6-15 is $80k per year resulting in the average math score being 475 out of a possible 1000. Sweden spends as much but scores 100 points higher while Slovakia spends $15k with an average score of just below 500.

Therefore, as study after study has shown, there is no correlation between money spent and educational performance. Standardized testing and school report cards indicate this fact plus just how much of our educational dollars are being wasted. Washington, D.C. is a recent example of what can be accomplished when dollars are spent wisely and competition abounds. The District spends $13,400 per pupil per year on the worst academic performance in America; ranked last in math scores and second to last reading scores in urban public school systems in America according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The recently begun DC Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) provides tuition vouchers for students K-12 allowing students to attend participating private schools.

Recently the Department of Education found that nearly 90 percent of OSP students have higher reading scores than their peers at about half the cost. Allowing parents to pick schools as they pick other products results in higher learning and less money spent. In other words, let competition dictate how schools perform just as corporations must compete for performance or dollars spent. Success in the marketplace depends on producing the best product at the least cost. Should not education be held to these same standards so that America might compete successfully in the world?

Text Only

Columns

GARY'S WORLD: Thank our veterans this weekend A tremendous opportunity presents itself in our community this weekend — an opportunity to honor those who served in the Vietnam War. Personally, after attending last year's first Welcome Home celebration, I wouldn't want to miss this. It was an emotional event for both Vietnam veterans and ordinary citizens. It was a great way to commemorate Vietnam Veterans Day in Tennessee, March 29.
March 27, 2009 1 Photo
RANDOM THOUGHTS: "Antiques Roadshow" comes to Tennessee If you are one of the 10 million who watch each episode of the “Antiques Roadshow” mark your calendar. The three upcoming Mondays, March 30, April 6 and April 13, were all taped in Chattanooga last July.
March 24, 2009 1 Photo
LION AND THE LAMB: An open letter to Sharon Baier I was happy to read your well-written article, printed in last week's Chronicle. It makes a strong case, in the story of Al and Jennifer, that "To make money, you have to spend money." That misguided couple thought that they ought to cut down on their purchase of supplies, to save money. They did so, week after week, until they lost their business.
March 24, 2009
WE THE PEOPLE: Veterans storm the Hill When young men and women risk their lives and sacrifice both physical and mental health for their country, a grateful country should at least provide them with shelter, food, and health care. But there is a lot of hypocrisy between what some windbag says on Veterans Day and what the country actually does for veterans.
March 24, 2009
THEREFORE I AM: Kids stress out parents? Well, duh! This just in: According to an expert, children can add stress and strain to a marriage. In other news, further expert studies have indicated that the sky is in fact blue, Paris Hilton is a tad spoiled, peanut butter and chocolate taste great together, and the Middle East has issues. Thank goodness we have experts to tell us these things.
March 23, 2009 1 Photo
INSIDE THE FIRST AMENDMENT: With shekels come shackles When President Obama launched his faith-based initiative at the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 5, he promised not only to sustain the Bush administration’s signature domestic program — but to expand it.
March 19, 2009 1 Photo
THEREFORE I AM: Jim Croce and I will keep you safe and sound My philosophy of life is simple: When in doubt, follow the advice of a dead folk-rock star. I always found Jim Croce to be particularly handy in this capacity. Don’t tug on Superman’s cape. Don’t spit into the wind. Don’t pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger, and regardless of how badly you may want to, do not, under any circumstances, mess around with Jim.
March 16, 2009 1 Photo
STUMPTALK: Stimulating a war on prosperity and freedom Near Bush’s sunset, Treasury Secretary Paulson and Fed chairman Bernanke terrified the nation with “the sky’s falling and America is doomed” unless the government steps in with new regulations, institutional takeovers and massive lending.
March 16, 2009
WE THE PEOPLE: Thoughts on bringing a recession to heel Responding to the recent full-throated baying of conservative “economic watchdogs,” I slogged into the swamp of their icon Adam Smith’s murky tome, “The Wealth of Nations,” to see if they had finally treed anything of value.
March 10, 2009
LION AND THE LAMB: Reality Dim blue of early morning shines into the living room

while you flip through television channels.
March 10, 2009
More Columns Headlines

Columns

Search Results

STUMPTALK: Tons of money and still U.S. education doesn’t stack up

Site Map

Contact Us