Has Education Changed? You Decide.

As you know, a lie told often enough, becomes the truth that everybody knows. We hear repeated stories about cuts in education and how education is not getting funded properly.   It’s just not true, but the myth never seems to die. False claims around education funding often go around the world before the truth comes out.   Robert Pianta, from University of Virginia, wrote an article for the Washington Post falsely claiming that “public funding for schools has actually decreased since the 1980s.” It was blatantly false and the correction was finally made eight days later.   Another Post article claimed that D.C. schools spend “$11,310 in base spending” per student each year. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau show that the district actually spends over $31,000 per student each year. That’s a Big Whopper.   There are countless other examples of false and misleading information. Many times it’s never corrected. Even if it is, it’s buried days later in an obscure section of the publication.   In North Carolina, education spending consumes 58% of our state budget.  Our state also supplies a bigger share of revenue than most states. Many states have a much larger portion paid by local districts. The national average for state portion of education funding is about 1/3 of  the state total budget.   Education funding has been rising rapidly. Adjusted for inflation, education funding increased nationally by 280% since 1960. (Remember that’s already inflation adjusted) From 1950 to 2009, student populations increased by 96% while non teaching staff increased by 702%. Therein lies a big problem.   There are numerous studies that show there is no correlation between dollars spent and the quality of education received. Many of the districts, across the country, spend the most and have the worst outcomes. Some very poor school systems are providing a good sound education.   There has also been so much buzz lately about what our children are learning (or not learning) in school. We’ve heard tremendous criticism about the subject of Critical Race Theory. Many parents are saying, “I just want my children to be educated. I want them to be taught reading, writing and arithmetic. Leave the indoctrination out of it.”   I know you’ve heard for many years that we have been dumbing down our kids. I’m not sure what that means, but I think most of us can agree that many children are not learning as well as they should.   Teachers are given an impossible task sometimes. Children are attending school unprepared and with many problems that should not be the responsibility of the teacher. Nobody seems to have an answer.   I thought you might find a portion of an 8th grade final exam interesting. It’s from a little red school house in Salina, Kansas in 1895. It’s been around for awhile but I find it stunning. I know many children back then didn’t go much past this grade but it appears they might have had the equivalent of a higher education degree.   Grammar (Time 1 hour)   Give nine rules for the use of Capital Letters. 2. Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no modifications. 3. Define Verse, Stanza and Paragraph. 4. What are the Principal Parts of a verb? Give Principal Parts of do, lie, lay and run. 5. Define Case, Illustrate each Case. 6. What is Punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of Punctuation. 7-10. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.   Arithmetic (Time 1.25 Hours)   1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic. 2. A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold? 3. If a load of wheat weighs 3942 lbs., what is it worth at 50 cts. per bu, deducting 1050 lbs. for tare? 4. District No. 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals? 5. Find cost of 6720 lbs. coal at $6.00 per ton. 6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent. 7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. long at $.20 per inch? 8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent. 9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance around which is 640 rods? 10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt. Do you think you might pass this exam? I’m sure I couldn’t without having Google handy.