An Education for the Future

The United States spends, on average, $12,379 per pupil for each year of public K-12 education. Among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, the U.S. ranks second in dollars spent per pupil. This is what we have to show for it. Only 33 percent of 8th graders are at, or above, proficiency level in math; similarly, only 34 percent of 8th graders are at, or above, proficiency in reading. For 12th graders, only 26 percent were at or above proficiency in math and only 38 percent were in reading. We could go on, but the numbers just get worse.

One of the biggest problems with our schools is the way that we fund them. Currently, a large portion of school funding is done at the local level through property taxes. This leads to great levels of inequality among public schools because higher income areas are able to raise more revenue. If you are in a low income school district, more often than not, the only way to send your child to a better school is to move. We do not think this is right. We support a system in which equal funding follows each student, and it is not conditional on where you live. Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs) could make this possible. An ESA is a fund of money provided by the state to each family for their child’s entire K-12 education. The money can only be spent at accredited educational institutions. Additionally, ESAs encourage cost savings on the part of both the parent and the school. Because the money rolls over, and any money not spent on K-12 education can be spent on college, parents are incentivized to be frugal and schools are incentivized to provide higher quality services at a lower price-point.

We need a system that encourages schools to compete to provide high quality services at a lower price. If students had more choices as to where they went to school, schools would work more like businesses competing for market share. With ESAs, the schools that provide the best possible education at the most affordable rates would flourish. This would allow everyone to have the opportunity to receive an education that they want and deserve. It would also allow for parents to have greater influence over the educational programs offered at their children’s schools, and would encourage a greater diversity of educational opportunities. We believe that children should have the opportunity to pursue their passions and study subjects that many schools are cutting today, such as music, theater, machine shop and advanced sciences. These programs are vitally important to our nation’s future, and through ESAs we believe that they would be supported and expanded.

Another important component of our nation’s educational system that has been regrettably neglected are trade schools. Trade schools provide opportunities for students to learn valuable skills and provide steady jobs for a stronger future. We believe that these programs need to be a larger part of our educational system. Students should have the opportunity to gain valuable job skills if they so choose. Once students meet standardized graduation requirements, we believe they should have the choice to spend their education money at trade schools or other job training programs. If the goal of our education system is to increase opportunity and reduce poverty, then trade schools must be part of that system.

One of the most tragic parts of our current education system is that our nation’s teachers are undervalued. However, when money follows students, skilled teachers become more valuable. Schools will be incentivized to attract and retain better teachers in order to attract more students. This will link teacher pay to the quality of education that they provide, just like any other service. Many people have had a teacher in their lives that has made a significant difference, and under this system, those teachers would be the most rewarded.

No plan, ultimately, is perfect. There will be many challenges to overcome as we move from our current system to one for which we are advocating. The fact of the matter is that some schools will weather the transition better than others. Those schools that can meet the new educational standards necessitated by this system will thrive; those schools that cannot provide an adequate education for our nation’s students will be forced to reform or shut down. New schools, that can better serve those students, will take their place. ESAs will put money back into the hands of parents, rather than administrators, and will incentivize new schools to open in order to better meet the needs of some of our nation’s most disadvantaged students.

We want to see a future in which all students, no matter their race, background or socioeconomic status, have the opportunity to receive an education that will serve them for the future. As inequality of opportunity continues to widen, we have a choice to make. Any plan or system that we choose to support must put the students first.