We Are #1… Because of Spending, Not Results!
Let’s Shine Some Needed Sunlight on Education Week’s Annual State Rankings
Each year, Education Week provides a report card assessing the quality of public education state-by-state.
Last Fall, New Jersey topped Ed Week’s rankings.
Whoo-Hooo! Congrats! Kudos! Right?
Unfortunately, Wrong.
New Jersey took the top spot from Massachusetts entirely due to HOW MUCH MORE NEW JERSEY SPENDS. As Ed Week said: New Jersey’s top ranking was “largely due” to the amount of education spending.
The bottom line is that Ed Week’s flawed methodology rewards high-spending states regardless of whether it benefits student learning.
High-spending states usually have powerful teacher unions, so it is no surprise that this #1 ranking has become a rallying cry for the NJEA, the New Jersey’s most powerful special interest, to call for EVEN MORE EDUCATION SPENDING.
So instead of blindly celebrating the NJEA’s claims that New Jersey public schools are “the best in the nation”… the Sunlight Policy Center of New Jersey decided to investigate.
WHAT WE FOUND WERE SIGNIFICANT FLAWS IN EDUCATION WEEK’S METHODOLOGY. When the focus is on actual student learning and spending efficiency, Florida actually gets better results at less than half the price of New Jersey. The data shows that New Jersey actually spends more than it needs to.
It’s time these facts came to light … all sourced and footnoted.
Read the report and learn the facts for yourself.