By Brian Massie, A Watchman on the Wall
We thank Jan Lukas for sending this article to us. These are some of the very revealing statements made in the following report:
“…the policies and practices these teacher unions advocate are exactly the policies and practices that prevent government schools from improving student achievement in reading, writing and math.”
“USPIE believes that government schools are irredeemable.
Government involvement has created an expensive, bloated system that does not educate children.
Colleges of Education and the current installed base of teachers do not know how to effectively teach reading, writing or math.
Teacher certification demands that qualified professionals be indoctrinated in the ineffective teaching practices taught by Colleges of Education.
State standards and assessments are inappropriate, ineffective and stand in the way of actual student achievement.
Teacher unions are a powerful entity advocating for teacher rights over student learning to the detriment of children.
In total, these roadblocks prevent the improvement of government schools in the near future.”
https://www.uspie.org/resources-list/are-government-schools-redeemable
Are Government Schools Redeemable?
Government schools have failed most students by every key metric: reading and math, critical thinking, attendance, physical and mental health, and return on taxpayers’ investments. The Mood of the Nation survey, published February 5, 2025, found that 73% of 1,005 adult respondents were dissatisfied with the quality of public education in the U.S. It is the highest dissatisfaction rate since the survey began in 2001.
Some organizations are attempting to fix government schools, with many state governors leading the way. Perhaps it is worthwhile, considering even with the significant declines over the last few years, 83.7% of American children still attend government schools. But progress is slow. Clear evidence of success is not yet visible. Many parents are unwilling to wait, pulling their kids out of government schools to home-school or send them to private schools. Home and private school enrollment now accounts for 16.3% of American K-12 students.
U.S. Parents Involved in Education (USPIE) is exploring the big question: Are government schools REDEEMABLE? In this report, USPIE focuses on five key issues, covering history and relevant roadblocks:
- Government Involvement
- Colleges of Education
- Teacher Certification
- Standards and Assessments
- Teacher Unions
USPIE believes the totality of these issues is insurmountable. Government schools cannot be saved, at least not in the near future, even with a concerted effort. Nonetheless, suggestions for improvement and correction are provided for those determined to try.
Parents are the first, best educators of their children. This is not just a slogan, not just a throw-away campaign line. It is a fundamental law. Elected officials must embrace this truth, resist the temptation to govern education, and return control to the parents who are the only people properly positioned to hold educators and the education system accountable.
This document offers constructive suggestions that, if implemented with fidelity, provide a means to begin the long journey to improve government schools while retaining a healthy, independent alternative in the free market.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the currently favored metric for achievement,
shows no significant improvement in outcomes over the last 40 years. Efforts to improve outcomes for
low-income children have also been costly and fruitless. The recent 2024 NAEP scores provide a troubling
picture of academic performance in U.S. schools. In reading, only 31% of fourth-grade students and 30%
of eighth-grade students performed at or above grade level. Math scores were similarly low, with just 39%
of fourth graders and 28% of eighth graders meeting or exceeding grade-level expectations. These results
underscore the urgent need for effective educational reform.
The evidence is inarguable: the federal government’s intervention in education has been expensive and
disastrous for children. The model of government-run schools has not served our country well and should
be abandoned.
Categories: Community Activism, Education, Uncategorized