With Election Day approaching, voters across the country will soon cast their ballots for elected office at all levels. When we do that as Americans, we’re making a pronouncement about what kind of country we want to live in and what kind of future we want to create for posterity.
Though Democrats are running away from the issue this election cycle, education policy is central to this country’s future. As people head to the polls, they will decide between two starkly contrasted visions of education: one that prioritizes students and one that prioritizes power.
The fact of the matter is that government-controlled, top-down, one-size-fits-all education systems just aren’t working the way that students and parents deserve. High school math scores have plummeted and are lagging behind other developed countries on the world stage.
Most people think our K-12 STEM education is average at best. Civics scores for middle schoolers are alarmingly low, and many students are showing up to college without knowing basic facts about American civics.
America has ramped up spending on K-12 education to over $15,000 per pupil on average. We are not getting what we pay for.