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.
#1 by Darwin's Finance on March 1, 2010 - 11:33 pm
Quote
While I can’t disagree with the overall message, your opening line…of course many students will fall below the “average”. Whether you’re referring to median or mean (often confused) it is a mathematical certainty that many will be “below the National average” right?
#2 by murkygrey on March 2, 2010 - 12:07 am
Quote
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 fail in understanding that normal distribution dictates that approximately 50% of the population will always “fall” below the national average in anything.
The more interesting statistic is how many fall below a given, constant threshold (e.g. “below a basic reading level” illustrated above”).
Also missing here are comparisons to other industrialized nations, how does the US dropout rate compare?