Performance in Context

School Performance in Context: The Iceberg Effect (Full Report)

School Performance in Context: The Iceberg Effect  (Summary Report)

School Performance in Context: The Iceberg Effect (Press Release below)

School Performance in Context: The Iceberg Effect (Fact Sheet below)

School Performance in Context: The Iceberg Effect (Testimonials)

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(Embargoed Until Tuesday, January 20th)

New study finds the U.S. produces the world’s most educated workforce—but students face unparalleled levels of poverty, inequity and violence

 Washington, DC. January 20– A new study released today challenges the practice of ranking nations by educational test scores and questions conventional wisdom that the U.S. educational system has fallen badly behind school systems abroad.

In their report, School Performance in Context, the Horace Mann League and the National Superintendents Roundtable examined six dimensions related to student performance—equity, social stress, support for families, support for schools, student outcomes, and system outcomes—in the G-7 nations (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States) plus Finland and China. They then examined 24 “indicators” within the six broad dimensions.

Of the nine nations, the United States remains the wealthiest nation with the most highly educated workforce, based on the number of years of school completed, and the proportion of adults with high school diplomas and bachelor’s degrees.

“Many policymakers and business leaders fret that America is falling behind Europe and China, but our research does not bear this out,” said James Harvey, executive director of the National Superintendents Roundtable.

Despite high educational levels, the United States also reported high levels of economic inequity and social stress compared to the other nations. All are related to student performance. Measures included rates of childhood poverty, income inequality and violence. For example, in American public schools today, the rate of childhood poverty is five times greater than it is in Finland. Rates of violent death are 13 times greater than the average for the other nations, with children in some communities reporting they have witnessed shootings, knifings, and beatings as “ordinary, everyday events.”

The study is the first time analysts have compared K-12 education internationally using an array of educational indicators, not just test scores. The goal was to look at the whole iceberg, not just the tip—and provide a clearer snapshot of each country’s performance including its wealth, diversity, community safety, and support for families and schools.

Some key findings:

  • Economic Equity: The United States and China demonstrate the greatest gaps between rich and poor. The U.S. contends with remarkably high rates of income inequality and childhood poverty.
  • Social Stress: The U.S. reported the highest rates of violent death and teen pregnancy, and came in second for death rates from drug use. The U.S. is also one of the most diverse nations with many immigrant students, suggesting English may not be their first language.
  • Support for Families: The U.S. performed in the lowest third of government spending for services that benefit children and families, including preschool.
  • Support for Schools: Americans seem willing to spend on education: The U.S. leads the group in spending per student, but the national estimates may not be truly comparable. Despite higher spending, U.S. teachers spend 40 percent more time in the classroom than their peers in the comparison countries.
  • Student Outcomes: Performance in American elementary schools is promising, while middle school performance can be improved. U.S. students excel in 4th grade reading and high school graduation rates, but perform less well in reading at age 15. All nations demonstrate an achievement gap between students based on income and socio-economic factors.
  • System Outcomes: The U.S. leads the nations in educational levels of its adult workforce. Measures included years of schooling completed and the proportion of adults with high-school diplomas and bachelor’s degrees. American students also make up 25 percent of the world’s top students in science at age 15, followed by Japan at 13 percent.

A call for more nuanced assessments

American policymakers from both political parties have a history of relying on large, international assessments to judge United States’ performance in education. In 2013, the press reported that American students were falling behind when compared to 61 other countries and a few cities including Shanghai. In that comparative assessment—called the Program for International Student Assessment—PISA controversially reported superior scores for Shanghai.

“We don’t oppose using international indicators as one measure of performance. But as educators and policymakers, we need a broader set of indicators that put school performance in context—not just a single number in an international ranking,” said Harvey.

“Our study suggests that the United States has the most educated workforce and yet students confront shockingly high rates of poverty and violence. These are larger social issues outside the classroom, yet research shows they are serious threats to student learning,” said Jack McKay, executive director, Horace Mann League.

The complete report is available at: www.superintendentsforum.org

About the sponsors

The Horace Mann League is an association of educators committed to improving public education. The League’s members believe the U.S. public school system is an indispensable agency for strengthening our democracy and a vital, dynamic influence in American life.

The National Superintendents Roundtable is a learning community of school superintendents who learn, discuss and meet regularly with worldwide experts, sharing best practices and leading for the future.

Contact:

Rhenda Meiser

(206) 465-9532

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Fact Sheet

Basic Facts and Figures on American Schools

General

Number of public schools (2010) 98,817
PK – 12 enrollment (2010) 54,876,000
PK – 12 enrollment in public schools (2010) 49,484,000

 

Students and Teachers

Teachers (2012) 3,333,000 FTEs
Children of color (2014) 50.3%
Students with disabilities (2010) 6,419,000
English language learners (2010) 4, 400,000
On time graduation rate (2012) 80%
Students on free and reduced lunches (2011) 48%
States with 55% – 71% of students on free and reduced lunches, 2011 (low to high) Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico & Mississippi,

 

Completion and Dropout Rates

Status completion rate, 1972 (16-24-year-olds) 82.8%
Status completion rate, 2009 (16-24-year-olds) 89.8%
Status Dropout Rate 1960 (16-24-year olds) 27.2%
Status Dropout Rate 2012 (16-24-year olds) 6.6%

Financial Issues

Total expenditures (2011) $632 billion
Expenditures per student (2011) $12,608
Deferred Facilities Maintenance Needs (2011) 53% of public schools
Deferred Maintenance Estimate Costs (2011) $197 billion

 

What are others saying about the report?

“This report does what has been missing in
international assessments like PISA and TIMSS…It
provides a broader context to understand how
education systems perform…simply an eye-opening
reading experience!”
Pasi Sahlberg, Harvard University, Author of
Finnish Lessons

“This is a significant piece of work. I think it has
real potential for furthering the conversation about
where we really are in education in the United States.”Karen Woodward, Superintendent, Lexington Schools, South Carolina

“Globalization means we have to be internationally
engaged, economically and culturally. Future focused

leaders will benefit greatly from immersing themselves in the realistic international comparisons contained in this report.”Joe A. Hairston, Co-Director, AASA-HowardUniversity Urban Superintendents Academy

“The information in this report is far more informative than test scores alone. We can learn

much from School Performance in Context about meaningful ways to help all children succeed in school.”ne Ravitch, New York University, Author of Reign of Error

“The most striking thing from the data – and
something that all policymakers should be

concerned about – is that here we sit as the wealthiest nation in the world and we have the highest percentage of children in our schools living in poverty.”
Charles Fowler, President, Lead Schools

“A fascinating report that highlights the importance
of context and the…often deeply misleading nature

of test scores taken in isolation. Even readers who
think they know about context will learn many new and surprising things.”
Alison Wolf, Sir Roy Griffiths Professor, King’s
College, London, Education Advisor, Government
of Prime Minister David Cameron