As children return to school nationwide, the state of our country’s education system is grim.
Many children were struggling before the pandemic, but in states that mandated virtual schooling, more children are faring even worse. We need to fix things fast before we lose a generation.
Thomas Kane, an economist who has been measuring pre- and post-pandemic academic achievement, recently wrote in the Atlantic, “Like any other parent who witnessed their child dozing in front of a Zoom screen last year, I was not surprised that learning slowed. However, as a researcher, I did find the size of the losses startling.” One study showed that children’s early reading skills were at a 20-year low. McKinsey & Company said the pandemic rendered most K-12 students, on average, five months behind in mathematics and, as might be expected, widened preexisting gaps between low-income and minority students the most.
“The fallout from the pandemic threatens to depress this generation’s prospects and constrict their opportunities far into adulthood,” the McKinsey study said. “Our analysis suggests that, unless steps are taken to address unfinished learning, today’s students may earn $49,000 to $61,000 less over their lifetime.”
This is to say nothing of children’s emotional health. Put simply, we shouldn’t have closed schools for so long during the pandemic. We must never repeat that error.
However, broader problems sustain.
Despite spending over $13,000, on average, per student, children fall below global benchmarks. U.S. students’ math skills lag behind other countries and have not improved in decades. The U.S. education system needs an overhaul, from top to bottom. Why do states keep adding funds while overall academic quality remains stagnant and children struggle to read, write, and do basic math?
No one is going to tear down the Department of Education, but there are changes states can make. They should consider the kind of school choice program Arizona recently implemented, which allows $6,500 per year per student to go toward a school setting that best fits each child. The competition will encourage more academic rigor. Plus, when parents can choose, they opt for a setting that works best for their particular child. This is especially helpful if a child has special needs.
It’s time for major change.
Nicole Russell is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is a journalist in Washington, D.C., who previously worked in Republican politics in Minnesota. She is an opinion columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
