No, we are not getting our money’s worth from public education and we haven’t been since the creation of the U.S. Dept. of Education. Jimmy Carter’s gift to the teachers unions. It’s been a consistent downhill slide since that boondoggle came to fruition. That can’t be argued, worldwide education ratings have proven that since the mid 1980′s. We used to be #1, we are in the lower half of the middle of the pack today. Thank the teachers unions and Jimmy Carter.

Voters overwhelmingly believe that taxpayers are not getting a good return on what they spend on public education, and just one-in-three voters think spending more will make a difference.

Nationally, the United States spends an average of about $9,000 per student per year. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 11% of voters think the taxpayers are getting a good return on that investment. Seventy-two percent (72%) disagree and say taxpayers are not getting their money’s worth. Sixteen percent (16%) are undecided.

Obviously, “more money” is the answer, right? Wrong. Education begs for and receives more and more money every year. Has that helped? No, it’s made things worse. It’s like giving more and more money to an alcoholic. What do you think that outcome will be?

People also don’t know how much money is actually spent per student, per year. When they find out, it dawns on them that money is not the answer, but reform is. Something I’ve been preaching for a very long time.

Thirty-four percent (34%) voters believe student performance will improve if more money is spent on funding for schools and educations programs. A plurality (41%) disagrees and thinks that increased spending will not lead to improve student performance. Twenty-five percent (25%) aren’t sure.

The survey also found that voters tend to underestimate how much is spent on education.  Thirty-nine percent (39%) say the average per student expenditure is less than $9,000 per year while only 12% think it’s higher than that. Nine percent (9%) estimate the right amount but a plurality of 40% is not sure. There is a wide range of expenditure on education depending upon the state and region.

Most voters (54%) continue to believe that the government does not spend enough on public education, unchanged from a year ago. But that figure drops to 38% when voters are asked specifically if $9,000 per year is too much, too little or about the right amount to spend per student on education. Twenty-two percent (22%) of voters say, generally speaking, the government spends too much on public education, and that edges up slightly to 24% when voters are given the $9,000 per year figure.

Fixing education is easy. Eliminate tenure, the U.S. Dept. of Education, crush the unions, fire the radical leftist teachers, and teach what was taught prior to 1980. Problem solved.