Eskildson: Significant improvement will require major change in SUSD
Posted
Loyd Eskildson | Scottsdale
The U.S. spends more per pupil than all but four developed nations participating in international high school pupil testing.
Yet, U.S. high school math achievement ranked #34 in the world (2022 testing - 110 points behind the leader Singapore, the approximate equivalent, per experts, of 5.5 academic years. In Science the U.S. ranked #16, 62 points behind Singapore - the approximate equivalent of 3.1 academic years. SUSD high-school student achievement is likely above the national average (assume about 1 year), but in 2023 was only #5 in the East Valley (U.S. News/World Report), and is soon likely to fall to #6. Regardless, SUSD graduates, on average, are years behind top-achieving nations.
Assume you're Intel, TSMC, Harvard, etc., you want the best applicants so you can produce world-leading competitive products/graduates. Will SUSD graduates be at the top of your picks, or those from high-scoring Singapore, China, Taiwan, Japan, Estonia, Canada, Massachusetts, BASIS, etc.? That's a no-brainer and explains why Intel, TSMC and Harvard facilities abound with Asians.
SUSD graduates are at serious risk of finding themselves in unemployment and welfare lines come 2030, when artificial intelligence is predicted have decimated employment.
Why not simply boost spending and continue SUSD on its current path? That's been tried already – from 1973 to 2022, U.S. inflation-adjusted per-pupil spending increased about 130%. Math skills decreased about 3%, and we wasted about $22 trillion! (Comparable science data isn't available.) Significant improvement will require major change. The biggest fault of U.S. public schools, including SUSD, is that most focus more on satisfying staff/union desires instead of student needs.
What to do? Elect board candidates focused on significant improvement, not those wanting to preserve SUSD's problems. Follow practices at the best schools – BASIS, SUCCESS Academy, and in Asia.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
