What value do we put on education in America? Currently 22 out of 100 students enrolled in public schools in the US drop out before graduating. This year, an estimated $543 billion will be spent on public education and the national average expenditure per student is projected to be $10,844, yet students in many states continue to fall below the national average in reading and math.

There’s good news and bad news about the state of public education in the United States. While the greatest gains have been made in Math and Science education from 1995 to 2003, most Americans still only give public schools a below-average grade. Take a graphic look at America’s Report Card on Education to see how public education in the U.S. stacks up against the rest of the world.

Note to sensitive teachers, administrators, and all ye with little or no sense of humor…this was all in good fun. We love you all and know you have the toughest most important job there is.