Overview of Education



The U.S. educational system is primarily in the pubic sector. The level of public spending on education has significantly increased.


The U.S. lags behind many developed countries in student performance as measured by standardized tests.


The increase in educational spending has not been reflected in test score improvement. The "No Child Left Behind Act" is seen as a failure in part because there has been no uniformity among states in its implementation.


A substantial portion of the costs of public higher education has been shifted from taxpayers to students and their families thus amounting to a specific tax increase for much of the working class. There has been a signficant reduction in the grant assistance provided to lower income students and families through Pell grants. These changes have not resulted in improved earnings for college graduates.