Very interesting perspective. And most refreshing of all: someone who actually looks at the data, instead of making guesses, for what would improve education.

I agree that education plays an enormous role in national wealth. Just look at Finland. They have far fewer natural resources than the US. In 1960 their GDP per capita was 41% of that of the US. Then they doubled down on education. Now they are at 92% of the US GDP per capita.

Ganas!

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It does not matter what schools do when all of our good paying jobs are outsourced to other countries and a local tech jobs go to foreign nationals with H-1B visas.
Meanwhile all our tech companies are moving to Austin, TX where the business climate is not over regulated and over taxed.

You also have to look at the example of Albert Einstein who had to teach himself physics and calculus from old college texts because his high school would not offer these subjects.

>Internationally, he said, higher performing countries tend to have
>accountability systems, good examination systems, more pay for performance,
>more choice and more preschool education, but there's wide variation on how
>such policies are implemented.

We will never have sensible improvements like these in the USA as long as Unions control our schools.

"Spending per pupil has quadrupled in real terms since 1960 yet the performance of our 17-year-olds is flat," he said Tuesday. "That suggests we've been putting money in the wrong places.

Or, could it possibly be that throwing lots of taxpayer money at schools is not the solution?

It sounds crazy but maybe raising standards, holding students and parents accountable as well as teachers, and getting rid of social promotion could be part of a workable solution.

What? Hold teachers accountable? Set expectations on them?

Same conclusion that many other "studies" have come to. It won't get anywhere because we are so stupid as to let our public employees have unions.

Exactly how are public employee unions good for the public? I dare someone to make a case for that. Teachers are a perfect example of how they are bad for the public.

I can't believe that Finland was brought up as an example to compare ourselves too in this context. Finland has a great educational system, as it highly values teachers and allows then to teach, not worrying about testing or competing to be "the best". They don't have tests or HW till high school, aren't measured for 6 years. Their goal is to provide equal healthcare, food, and education to all - so all have the same opportunities. I agree we are spending money in the wrong places - get it away from testing and textbook companies, consultants and lobbyists and top heavy administrations, and stop letting corporations dictate what we teach. Give it to the teachers and administrators at the local level.

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Finland kids study, because there is nothing to do there. It's relatively boring to what we have here in the US.

unions are stupid. look at bart, handcuffing bay area commuters because they can't settle on a work rule that says that if they work on sat., they get overtime pay, even if they call in sick earlier in the week. who figures?

They have a teachers union in Finland.

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