K-12 education systems are improving nationwide, but states aren't doing enough to keep the U.S. competitive on the global stage, according to a new report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
The "Leaders & Laggards" report grades each state's education performance and policies based on 11 business-oriented criteria, ranging from the availability of school options, such as charters, to the state's pension-funding situation.
The report found that 12 states didn't receive any A's, while eight states earned at least 4 F's. On the bright side, more than a dozen states didn't receive any F's, while eight states earned at least four A's or A-minuses.
"We're making progress but not enough progress…people ought to be outraged," said Cheryl Oldham, vice president of the foundation's Center for Education and Workforce. "Hopefully this is a wake-up call."
In terms of academic performance, measured by students' scores on a national test, all states improved since 2007, when the Chamber last issued a report on K-12 educational effectiveness. The gains were uneven, however.
South Carolina, Michigan and South Dakota saw bumps of less than 2 percentage points, while Hawaii, Maryland and the District of Columbia scored at least 10-point gains. Other factors considered in the report—compiled with the help of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank—included the state's return on investment, international competitiveness and academic achievement.
Massachusetts earned the highest number of A's, with six total.
Read the rest of the Story
HERE.
If you like what you see, please "Like" us on Facebook either
here or
here. Please follow us on Twitter
here.
No comments:
Post a Comment