Let’s start from the beginning. In January 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act was passed by President George W. Bush in order to aid disadvantaged students in America’s public school systems. In order to tackle the seemingly enormous gap in the success rate of students, the NCLB Act required each state to develop an assessment test for its students receiving public elementary or secondary education. Schools in the state were required to administer these assessment tests to their students in order to continue to receive federal funding. Seems harmless, right? Here’s the problem.
Each state develops its own test, meaning there is no nationwide standard for what students at certain grade levels should know. Although the act was passed in 2001, it didn’t take effect until 2003, which as many of you may remember in Florida is when we were all faced with the FCAT. For example, a third grader in California may be being tested on his knowledge of geometry, while another third grader in Nebraska may be being tested on his addition skills. These standardized tests are meant to assess schools and teachers based on the pass/fail rate of their students. If the school fails to meet the required standard, and fails to improve the following year, its funding will be decreased and other punishments are administered in order to increase accountability of teachers. In theory, it sounds like a pretty good idea: hold our teachers accountable to making sure their students do well. However, when you punish schools for poor quality rather than giving them incentives for maximum achievement, how good of an outcome can there really be? I would argue that the NCLB Act is where the American student mentality of learning to be tested begins.
In 2012, over half a million fifteen-year-olds across the globe were given the Programme for International Student Assessment test. This test is given every three years and focuses primarily on science, math, and reading skills. In the 2012 results, the United States averaged 17th in reading and 26th in math among the 34 countries tested. On average, 13% of each country’s students were considered “top performers.” However, 55% of students in Shanghai-China were considered top performers, and only 9% of American students were. One in four U.S. students didn’t even meet the base level requirements for level 2 math proficiency, which the Programme for International Student Assessment report states is the level in which students begin demonstrating skills that enable them to productively and effectively participate in life. Students from Massachusetts, which scored above America’s national average are still two full years of schooling behind Shanghai.
But wait, there’s more! America may not be among the top ten in science, math, or reading proficiency, but in spending, we’re ranked 5th!! Falling only behind Austria, Luxembourg, Norway, and Switzerland, the United States averages a whopping $115,000 per student’s education. In comparison, Slovak Republic, which produced similar scores to our beloved country on the assessment test, spends an average of $53,000 per student.
Fast forward a decade, and you’re now preparing yourself to attend university. You choose to attend Florida Gulf Coast University as an undergrad, which happens to be one of the least expensive public universities in Florida for a FL resident priced at $203.94 per credit hour. Assuming you graduate in four years or so with exactly 120 credits, you will have spent $24,472.80. Should you choose to attend a private university such as the University of Miami, you will spend about $22,200 per semester, totaling $177,600. Keep in mind this does not include textbooks, housing, or other college-related expenses and supplies. Whether you are a college freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior, there is one fact that remains true in this country… think back to every class you have taken since your very first semester. How much did you actually retain from those classes? How many language course have you taken in Spanish or French since the beginning of your education, and how fluent are you? If you had to take a final exam covering the most important information you learned from each course you’ve taken before graduating, would you pass each one? 99.999% chance the answer is NO. So in reality, when you graduate and enter the job market, how much will that $24,000-$177,000 diploma really help you when you’re competing on an international level? What can one of the most expensive pieces of paper you will ever earn really do for you as a product of America's failing education system?
