Public schools in the U.S. spend an average of $15,633 per student, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. With such high investment, you’d expect results. But the truth is stark: by 8th grade, children have already been through $128,000 worth of education and are still failing to meet basic standards. Only 31% of 8th graders are proficient in reading, and 27% can solve basic math problems. The gap between spending and performance is not just disappointing—it’s alarming.
State spending paints an even bleaker picture. In New York, the most expensive school district, over $29,000 per student is spent annually, while Utah spends just $9,500. Yet, no matter the state, the results are eerily similar. In places like Chicago, fewer than one-third of students meet reading proficiency standards, underscoring that money alone doesn’t guarantee success.
This is a systemic problem. Despite the rising costs of education, public schools are failing to deliver the basics. For all the money poured into the system, a significant portion of students remain functionally illiterate and numerically deficient. This reality demands a reassessment of where the money is going and how education is being delivered. We can’t afford to keep throwing money at a failing system—it’s time for change.
Only 31% of 8th graders are proficient in reading.
30% are “below basic” readers—functionally illiterate.
And only 27% of 8th graders are proficient in math.
Government schools get a failing grade no matter how you slice the data.
— Connor Boyack 📚 (@cboyack) December 3, 2024
Sources:
https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/public-school-spending-per-pupil.html
https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/per-pupil-spending-by-state
https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/
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