The Data Is Clear: American Schools Are Failing Our Children

Understanding the data on what kids are not learning – what is wrong in our schools – is central to training American kids to be self-motivated and successful. Three data sets are new and pivotal.

Putting aside valid debates over what should not be taught – such as political activism – what should be happening? Liberals and conservatives agree on a few things, one of which should be saving American society from unschooled citizens.

Long before we debate the groaning administrative burden of non-citizens, the role of ideology in the schoolhouse, know this: Time does not stop, so the future of American society depends on getting education right, or we all lose.

What do we know – beyond the fact that pulling kids during the COVID scare was devastating and created multi-generational learning, social, and learning deficits?

What else does data say? A Gallup poll found only 35 percent of parents are now satisfied with public schools, a shocking low. Only seven percent are completely satisfied, while fully 62 percent are completely or somewhat dissatisfied.

The majority of those surveyed believe kids are unprepared for “work” or “higher learning,” something that we have not seen before. Corroboration comes from countless employers, vocational schools, colleges, and graduate schools.

This data is jarring. Paired with other findings, including extraordinarily bad outcomes in some states – the trajectory is dark. The National Education Scorecard reports major declines in math and reading, central to citizen success.

Describing the National Scorecard as “grim,” and some states as worse – such as Maine, where 74 percent of 4^th graders cannot read to level, 75 percent of 8^th graders cannot do math – Harvard’s Thomas Kane offered thoughts.

In a published interview, the economist said, “…the pandemic was just the mudslide that followed seven years of steady erosion in student achievement …It was as if – when Congress dismantled test-based accountability at the end of the No Child Left Behind Act – they turned off the smoke alarms just at the time when social media was setting fire to students’ learning time outside of school.”

So, here are two “fixable” items. We dropped test-based accountability for assessing success, reverting to measuring success by money, and indulged student distraction, social media, fewer demands, and less homework. Those need fixing.

What else? Focusing on outcomes requires higher student discipline and teacher satisfaction – more teacher freedom to produce those outcomes, rewards for success, consequences for failure, less administration, less bureaucracy.

Said Kane: “…States that are turning things around are turning things around by focusing on early literacy and … requiring more reading inside a school to counteract the fact that kids are doing less reading outside of school.”

Schools succeeding are redoubling focus on outcome measurement, reducing bureaucracy, giving teachers freedom to set expectations and enforce discipline, while rewarding and removing teachers – and administrators – as required.

Succeeding states have less state and administrative interference, are rebuilding teacher-parent-student links, and are holding teachers accountable. Said Kane: “…adults in the system are being held accountable for student results.”

In those states, we see “literacy coaching” for reading and math, what used to be “remedial reading” and math. They are not defaulting to money – or union-driven demands – but measure success by results.

Sadly, some states continue doing what is not working – indifferent to failure. They are preoccupied by political actors, disinterested in outcomes, all about state politics, money for unions and politicians – failing students and parents.

Maine is an example of a state getting worse results by continuing to do what does not work, while political actors – unions and officials – benefit. The political actors, educational unions, legislators, and bureaucracy win; kids and parents lose.

A detailed study by the Maine Policy Institute in 2024 is as shocking as national data, confirming why Maine students graduate without core training.

The state’s bureaucracy in Maine, legislative majority, and executive branch are Democrats who objectively fail children, parents, and teachers. According to the study, even school board members are distressed; their “greatest concerns … mental health, staffing, and behavior” are driven by input-focused state policymakers.

Thus, “86 percent expressed concern about the number of students with mental health problems, 83 percent about teacher shortages, and the same percentage about bullying and harassment.”

Meanwhile, “80 percent said they were worried about chronic absenteeism, and 79 percent about students acting out in class…” So, nationally, Maine continues to showcase failing schools, even before other issues – like Title IX – are discussed.

Bottom line: Regardless of what people think about what should not be taught, there is a one-to-one trade-off on time spent. Maine’s Democrat leaders – as in other failing states – do not understand that doing the same thing over and over with failed results while expecting better results is insanity. Data on what kids are not learning is clear – and real change is needed.