Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Record school spending across U.S. fails to reverse decline in test scores
Just The News ^ | 12/28/2025 | Ester Wickham

Posted on 12/28/2025 4:52:36 AM PST by Adder

As national education spending per pupil rises, student enrollment is dropping and test scores across the United States are falling, which raises concern over how effectively taxpayer dollars are being used in public schools.

Since 2002, K-12 public school spending has increased by more than 35%, yet enrollment has dropped 2.1%, which is over a million students over the past five years. Student achievement has also declined, with only one-third of students nationwide scoring at or above the proficient level on the National Assessment of Educational Progress in reading, according to the National Assessment Governing Board.

Currently, 40% of fourth graders are working below the NAEP basic level in reading, the highest percentage since 2002.

These declines continue despite record per-pupil spending. In 2024, New York leads as the highest per-pupil spending state, at $32,284. California is also among the highest, currently at $25,941. The lowest spending states include Utah, Idaho and Mississippi.

(Excerpt) Read more at justthenews.com ...


TOPICS: Education
KEYWORDS: budget; education; fraud; funding; publicschools; spending
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-69 next last
To: Adder

The school system spent their last credibility. Since about 1995 they have claimed better schools with more money would do the trick. So, Charter Schools, and all kinds of “special” schools that cost $10,000 a year or more were created.

Well, parents paying that money demanded results so grade inflation ensued. Can’t flunk a paying customer. Every yard ape got an ‘A+’, and colleges accepted and graduated anyone with a pulse.

The results have been horrendous. Idiots with attitudes from all those participation trophies telling them they, too, are great. None are.


41 posted on 12/28/2025 6:49:08 AM PST by CodeToad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Presbyterian Reporter

“Teaching kids is expensive. Indoctrinating kids is UNBELIEVEABLY expensive. Teaching only requires the employment of one person—the teacher.

Indoctrination requires the employment of many administrators to make sure the one teacher is saying and doing the approved method.”

Excellent point, and well said. Worth repeating.


42 posted on 12/28/2025 6:49:51 AM PST by CodeToad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Redmen4ever
Accordingly, the headline should be scores are lower BECAUSE OF higher spending, not IN SPITE OF higher spending.

Yep. Inverse correlation.

43 posted on 12/28/2025 6:50:27 AM PST by 17th Miss Regt (Fascist, deplorable, and proud of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: The Sentient Sheep

We used to track students (college prep, vocational ed) in this country.


44 posted on 12/28/2025 6:53:13 AM PST by 17th Miss Regt (Fascist, deplorable, and proud of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Adder

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink

You can send a City State kid to school, but you can’t make him think


45 posted on 12/28/2025 6:54:00 AM PST by bert ( (KE. NP. +12) Quid Quid Nominatur Fabricatur)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 17th Miss Regt

That stopped when the demographics didn’t come out right!


46 posted on 12/28/2025 7:03:06 AM PST by Reily
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: Adder

Spend tons of money that’s the ticket , LOL


47 posted on 12/28/2025 7:23:04 AM PST by butlerweave (Fateh)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Adder

Spent more money to hire the same uneducated idiots that can’t teach , you can bet the Children are a lot smarter then the teachers


48 posted on 12/28/2025 7:26:00 AM PST by butlerweave (Fateh)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Adder

No amount of money can compensate for the IQ difference in those coming here from a third world country. California schools are third from the bottom now because of the high number of Mexican students.


49 posted on 12/28/2025 7:46:30 AM PST by jimwatx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Adder

Obviously, more money is needed…</s>


50 posted on 12/28/2025 7:47:11 AM PST by The Antiyuppie (When small men cast long shadows, it is near the end of the day.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: maddog55
It has nothing to do with money and everything to do with the teachers.

And what the teachers were "taught".

We now have generations of insane methods of how to teach being planted in the minds of "teachers" too dumb to figure out what doesn't work on their own.

51 posted on 12/28/2025 7:48:42 AM PST by Mogger ( 7th generation Vermonter, refugee in New Hampshire hoping NH remains sane.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Adder

The increases were likely going to fund Cadillac health bennies and insanely generous pensions.

This isn’t about education.


52 posted on 12/28/2025 7:54:00 AM PST by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away! 🇺🇸 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: maddog55

In fact, we’ve reached an inverted system of negative utility - every extra dollar spent will have negative results.

More money will GUARANTEE lower performance.

Because we pay more to a corrupt and bloated system

Want to improve schools? Spend a lot less.


53 posted on 12/28/2025 8:04:04 AM PST by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Adder
My sister taught school.

A few of the children really wanted to learn and worked hard at it. She recalled two little girls who worked hard learning algebra. They spent lots of time studying and asked many good questions. They were grateful for everything she could give them.

"Don't you want to help them?" I asked.

"Oh of course," she replied.

But the other children were so disruptive, it was hard to help them.

She was met with resistance everywhere.

When she insisted on correct grammar, for example: "He gave the book to her and me," one boy shouted, "You racist. My momma say 'she and I;' I gone tell my momma you racist." The parents and school administration did not back her up.

Eventually the teacher is reduced to being a babysitter.

And the students do not learn.

In the final days of the Roman Empire and in the Dark Ages, literacy was almost nonexistent except in monasteries.

Will we decay into a dark age? Will some of us decay, while the others ascend into a glorious Golden Age, establishing a two-class society? Will we correct the problem of education so that we can all ascend into the Golden Age?

Only time will tell, but President Trump has the right idea and is a great and heroic leader. Truth is his guide. Any leftists/"progressives"/"liberals"/Democrats who are also benevolent would be wise to support him and his efforts.

The resistance he has met in restoring America to ascendance and bringing all of us into the Golden Age is the same resistance my sister received in trying to help and educate her students.

The resistance Trump has met has been literally murderous: three assassination attempts that we know of. This is a measure of the evil that opposes him.

Nothing good will come from the resistance and insistence on ignorance, darkness, and illiteracy--only evil, decay, and misery. This is the hideous moral and intellectual depravity of the left/"liberalism"/"progressivism"/Democrat Party. Even the benevolent among them are misguided at best in their good intentions, demonstrating yet again that "The Road to Hell is paved with good intentions."

If these benevolent were also wise, they would immediately give overwhelming support to President Trump and his efforts to restore ascendance and usher in the new Golden Age, lifting everyone into splendor.

Were the parents and administration wise, my sister would have received their wholehearted support; her students would have learned; and the little girls would have found the Royal Road to Learning paved not only with good intentions and benevolence but also with wisdom, profound moral and intellectual clarity, and the eternal quest for Truth, which is the foundation of Western Civilization.

54 posted on 12/28/2025 8:04:48 AM PST by Savage Beast (When the student is ready, the teacher appears. When the people are ready, the hero appears.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Adder

The kids and test scores aren’t doing so hot but teachers and their union are doing great.


55 posted on 12/28/2025 8:19:36 AM PST by EandH Dad (sleeping giants wake up REALLY grumpy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Adder

School system is full of fraud.
Really n by a bunch of femnazis who are for some reason, are given high status like cops or firefighters.
These heifers are some of the most entitled twats.
God knows I piss them off regularly just for pointing out a few facts.
Any attempt to hold them accountable, is refused.


56 posted on 12/28/2025 8:48:46 AM PST by 1ScrappyArmyMom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CodeToad

Public schools are the fault.
Not private schools where standards can be much higher.
Freaking commies in schools that try to indoctrinate children.
Can’t really discipline kids.
Just push failing Students along that cant even read.
This isn’t private schools fault


57 posted on 12/28/2025 8:55:32 AM PST by 1ScrappyArmyMom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: 1ScrappyArmyMom

“Not private schools where standards can be much higher.”

Sorry, but private schools are no better. College performance results prove that.


58 posted on 12/28/2025 10:06:21 AM PST by CodeToad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: Savage Beast

“Will we decay into a dark age?”

We already have.

Can you expect anyone in any retail establishment to understand much of anything?


59 posted on 12/28/2025 10:07:41 AM PST by CodeToad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: CodeToad

They both pretty much hire from the same teaching pool - barely literate/trained teachers.


60 posted on 12/28/2025 10:09:29 AM PST by Reily
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-69 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson