68.8.29: Academic Excellence
Attaining Academic Excellence for All. Other Information:
Since 1965 the federal government has spent $2 trillion on elementary and secondary education with no substantial improvement
in academic achievement or high school graduation rates (which currently are 59 percent for African-American students and
63 percent for Hispanics). The U.S. spends an average of more than $10,000 per pupil per year in public schools, for a total
of more than $550 billion. That represents more than 4 percent of GDP devoted to K-12 education in 2010. Of that amount, federal
spending was more than $47 billion. Clearly, if money were the solution, our schools would be problem-free. More money alone
does not necessarily equal better performance. After years of trial and error, we know what does work, what has actually made
a difference in student advancement, and what is powering education reform at the local level all across America: accountability
on the part of administrators, parents and teachers; higher academic standards; programs that support the development of character
and financial literacy; periodic rigorous assessments on the fundamentals, especially math, science, reading, history, and
geography; renewed focus on the Constitution and the writings of the Founding Fathers, and an accurate account of American
history that celebrates the birth of this great nation; transparency, so parents and the public can discover which schools
best serve their pupils; flexibility and freedom to innovate, so schools can adapt to the special needs of their students
and hold teachers and administrators responsible for student performance.
Indicator(s):
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