USA education failure, true or false

We are constantly bombarded by news of sinking U.S. test scores and the dismal showing in comparative international testing. We are told a plethora of reasons for the systemic failure of education in this country, from not enough spending to ineffective teaching techniques. Whats the truth?


Table M5. Average scores of U.S. 15-year-old students on the PISA mathematics literacy scale, by race/ethnicity: 2015
Race/ethnicity Average score s.e.
U.S. average 470 ** 3.2
White 499 * 2.8
Black 419 * 4.7
Hispanic 446 * 5.2
Asian 498 *** 10.1
Multiracial 475 ** 7.0
OECD average 490 *** 0.4

Table R5. Average scores of U.S. 15-year-old students on the PISA reading literacy scale, by race/ethnicity: 2015
Race/ethnicity Average score s.e.

U.S. average 497 3.4
White 526 * 3.3
Black 443 * 5.4
Hispanic 478 * 5.7
Asian 527 * 13.3
Multiracial 498 7.1
OECD average 493 0.5

Table S10. Average scores of U.S. 15-year-old students on the PISA science literacy scale, by race/ethnicity: 2015
Race/ethnicity Average score s.e.
U.S. average 496 3.2
White 531 * 2.8
Black 433 * 4.9
Hispanic 470 * 4.8
Asian 525 * 12.0
Multiracial 503 6.4
OECD average 493 0.4

The only thing that has changed in the 20 years since the pisa testing first began is the racial make up of the country. Despite education spending nearly doubling in that time the scores of the various races have stayed the same only their percentage of the total population had changed. Thoughts?

a reply to: kenpachicero

Thoughts?

I'm going to intentionally side-step the race part of this and just say that I put my money where my thoughts are. From nursery school to Pre-K and now Kindergarten we have kept our son in private school. I assure you we are not "rich" and could certainly use the thousands of dollars on other things (or just to make life easier) but that shows how little faith we have in the public school system.

My friend had to teach his kids their multiplication tables because their school doesn't.
That's education failure in my book.

a reply to: kenpachicero

US has a much larger and more diverse population. In addition, we make an effort to educate everyone regardless of social status and income. As such, this brings down our average.

I'm sure if you control for race, income, and other factors the US is better than average.

My kids are amazing readers, but the elder's math and writing could be better. I just make the both do repetitive writing when they get home and do not have homework assignments. Other than that, public school seems ok so far.

Schools reflect the communities they serve. There is only so much a school can do if the child doesnt have a solid foundation at home.

Education is reinforced at home. Wealthier and educated parents tend to spend more time reading and doi g other things that helps their childre perform better in school.

Poorer kids often have illiterate parents and they dont spend nearly the same effort reinforcong education.

Sociologist have studied that there is a huge gap in vicabulary by age 5 between affluent and poor kids.

Our school system is not perfect but i think the larger issue is the breakdown of families. You can have a state of the art school and great teachers but if a childs home environment is messed up it wont matter.

The purpose of the education system is not to educate, the assumption of purpose being to educate is a logical fallacy.

The education system is successful, if one is to understand the true purpose. That purpose is not meant for children reaching their maximum potential, it is meant for children to be smart enough to follow instructions, but dumb enough to not question authority.

That's it.

a reply to: GodEmperor

You are quite right. The United States government is VERY good at getting what they want. They can set up a surveillance system that monitors everyone (because that's what they want). They can work with contractors to come up with the most effective and lethal weaponry imaginable (because that's what they want). Despite some sub-par parents.... if "they" wanted a truly successful public education system.... "they" would have one.

a reply to: eluryh22

Statistically whites tend to perform better than hispanics and blacks on these tests and asains tend to do the best especially in math ,not just in the U.S. the scores from other countries are broken down by race too and they show the same pattern. To ignore this fact and jump straight to systemic failure of the entire education system in need of hundreds of billions of dollars is insane.

a reply to: kenpachicero

State College should be Free or at
least subsidized.
As it is in the best interest of the future
generations of Americans to have these levels
of education available to compete globally.

Even then,
you won't get far by listening to a professed
agenda while using a bong as a life support
system.

But then again, that is what obama did.
Golf and Kobe beef anyone?

Go Figure.

Bottom Line : It is what you make of it.

Looks like we gotta bomb Singapore.

a reply to: eluryh22

I got to witness my public school transform into a more prison-like environment.

Extra-curricular programs got cut, test scores dropped, but hundreds of thousands got pumped into new surveillance and security equipment. We had lock-down every Friday, I'm not being figurative or rhetorical in that statement.

My daughters school has a really good football team.......sorry, I had to.

a reply to: Edumakated

The pisa testing does control for socioeconomic differences, with poorer countries getting a boost up in score and developed countries getting pushed down.

China spends 1.9% of its gdp on education annually and their scores are significantly better than the U.S. ,while in the U.S. education has surpassed defense spending at almost 7% gdp. Spending on education has no correlation to improved student scores.

originally posted by: subject x
My friend had to teach his kids their multiplication tables because their school doesn't.
That's education failure in my book.

You are correct. We had to do the same thing.

Not memorizing basic multiplication tables is foolish and dooms children to failure. It is an essential foundation.

originally posted by: kenpachicero
a reply to: eluryh22

Statistically whites tend to perform better than hispanics and blacks on these tests and asains tend to do the best especially in math ,not just in the U.S. the scores from other countries are broken down by race too and they show the same pattern. To ignore this fact and jump straight to systemic failure of the entire education system in need of hundreds of billions of dollars is insane.

Just to clarify... I didn't "ignore" it... I "intentionally side-stepped it."

I didn't (and still don't) feel like getting into debates about this race is smarter than that one and this race has been dealt a weaker deck than the other one.....

I will say this though.... when you said that ...

entire education system in need of hundreds of billions of dollars

.... Well, I call BS on that. If I have a chance later I'll cite some sources but it's no secret that the cost per student in private school is much less than the amount spent (tax dollars) on cost per student in public schools and private school students by and large soar above public school students. Not just during attendance but in the years and decades that follow.

The public school system does NOT need more money. The public school system needs to clean up their act (if the powers that be would/will let them).

To put it another way....

As I mentioned... we send our son to private school and pay the tuition yet as home owners we still pay the full "school tax." We are literally paying into something that we aren't using.... and you propose I (we) should give them MORE?

Failure. School's today allow teachers to teach their own agendas. Not truth. I have heard a great deal of pure bullsh&& taught to my grandchildren. It is pathetic. However , I am impressed with Asian schools as they separate lessons from lunacy.

a reply to: Edumakated

Schools reflect the communities they serve. There is only so much a school can do if the child doesnt have a solid foundation at home. Education is reinforced at home. Wealthier and educated parents tend to spend more time reading and doi g other things that helps their childre perform better in school. Poorer kids often have illiterate parents and they dont spend nearly the same effort reinforcong education.

Damn i rarely agree with a post from you but in this part of what you are saying ....my god man you are spot on.......it is all about what goes on at home....

Poorer kids often have illiterate parents and they dont spend nearly the same effort reinforcong education. Sociologist have studied that there is a huge gap in vicabulary by age 5 between affluent and poor kids. Our school system is not perfect but i think the larger issue is the breakdown of families. You can have a state of the art school and great teachers but if a childs home environment is messed up it wont matter.

Dude ...what is the context of poor ? I know parents whom were poor that put their heart and souls into their kids to give them a chance at success in this world......There is so much wrong in this blanket statement it really hurts.....

a reply to: eluryh22

I'm not attempting to debate racial superiority but to point out statistical racial differences, all races have statistical strengths and weaknesses, none superior to the other but different. You must have miss read my post I was saying to ignore the fact that races are different and instead blame the entire education system and pump 100's of billions of dollars in it is WRONG.