Friday, February 05, 2010

The Spreadsheet That the NEA Doesn't Want You to See

How come no one ever compares the number of dollars spent per student with standardized test results? I'm kinda surprised that the teachers' unions -- the NEA and the AFT, for instance -- don't demand that newspapers publicize these results.

I put together a workbook that compares spending-per-student to test results and discovered some revealing data. For instance: the District of Columbia spends the most (by far) and has the worst results (by far). Yes: most spending, worst results. I blame Bush.

4th Grade Reading8th Grade Reading4th Grade Math8th Grade Math
StatePer-pupil spending ($)Rank% meeting state prof stndrd % at or above NAEP level % meeting state prof stndrd % at or above NAEP level % meeting state prof stndrd % at or above NAEP level % meeting state prof stndrd % at or above NAEP level
District of Columbia13,18714412407
New York11,54627133493387365631
New Jersey11,43638137743881456436
Connecticut10,00146638773478427635
Massachusetts9,8565484439494243
Vermont9,6786
Alaska9,58677927822671346529
Delaware9,271880305630
Rhode Island9,1789
Pennsylvania8,8411064366231
Wyoming8,667114734393639433729
Wisconsin8,574128333863574407536
Maryland8,507138232683078385330
Michigan8,4891473386129
Maine8,35115
Ohio8,100167734803665436333
Illinois8,0221772315429
New Hampshire7,75018
West Virginia7,748198026802275257118
Minnesota7,69120
Oregon7,6212164336534
Indiana7,580227230662872387030
California7,51123482139215128
Virginia7,50124
Nebraska7,41825
Georgia7,340268726832575306923
Iowa7,305277733723480377634
Hawaii7,253285623371830272018
Kansas7,0522978358547
Montana7,027308136
Missouri7,0183141311526
South Carolina6,984323526302539362430
Washington6,8943380366042
Colorado6,884348637863290397432
Texas6,746358129832682406131
North Dakota6,728367635723780406535
New Mexico6,606375020521939192414
Louisiana6,519386520542063245616
North Carolina6,511398229882791408432
Kentucky6,4934067313723
South Dakota6,31941
Oklahoma6,256428225712574296721
Arkansas6,119435330572653343422
Alabama6,11544
Florida6,056457130442563375826
Nevada6,0344648215226
Tennessee5,984478827872687288821
Idaho5,923488733823291407030
Arizona5,5244963236126
Mississippi5,382508818581879195314
Utah4,89051

Now you can see why the anti-school-choice teachers' unions hate standardized testing.

It exposes them like streakers at the Rose Bowl Parade.

 

2 comments:

The Scrutinator said...

How much does it cost to educate a child?

It's the most obvious question, but the least asked.

Good work.

Carolyn said...

Excellent job. I figured this year's budget that I have homeschooled my son to be about 250 dollars. He's learning the main subjects (the 3 r's) along with sciences, world history and geography, US social studies, character, spanish, sign language and we are doing some science and reading which is high school level. He's in the 3rd grade. Can't compare his scores though- never had him tested for the state testing of govment schools. I need to do some research on my own to see the spending for home school compared to govment school. Oh, and this being our first year of his dad being unempoyed so he's learning shop and veggie gardening, and small engine repair as well!