Debunking the myth that public schools need more money
on September 4th, 2006 at 2:41 am* Between 1990 and 2005, federal, state, and local education spending for grades K-12 has increased 215 percent from $248.9 billion to $538 billion. In that same time period SAT scores have remained flat. In fact, the most recent SAT scores dropped slightly. Results are similar with spending on teacher salaries. American teachers have the 6th highest salaries in the world, but their students have the 6th lowest achievement in the world. [SOURCE: Condition of Education 2006]
* Total expenditures for public education, including school construction, debt financing, community services, and adult education programs, came to $455 billion for the 02-03 school year. [SOURCE: Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 02-03, NCES] In 2003, according to census information, there were 111 million households in US. [SOURCE: 2003 Current Population Surveys, US Census Bureau] Thus the US government at all levels spends roughly $4,100 per household on K-12 public education. (source)
According to costofwar.com, the US is on course of having spent $318b (mind you, costofwar.com’s numbers are quoted regulary on many Liberal websites) so far in the current war. Seems like some folks are raising hell about the wrong thing.
Sphere: Related Content
