HERE'S A SHOCKER: Red States Have The Best Public Schools In The Country, By A Long Shot

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by momonkey

Detroit spends far above what is the normal per student rate.

You're mixing apples and bananas. Detroit has a high per pupil spending but is generally considered one of the country's poorest school systems as far as population. I think what was meant by "well-monied" was that the population is middle class/upper middle class. Which tracks with all the research done-poor systems whether urban or rural have much worse performing schools than middle class and above, regardless of race.


You also have to do some data disaggregation. I teach in the wealthiest and best educated majority/minority school system in the US. It's also the worst school system in MD. What is hidden by the income and education statistics is that a bit more than 1/2 of the students in the system are on Free And Reduced Meals which is the poverty gauge school's are required to use per NCLB.

[PanTerra]

Originally Posted by TRUEGRITT

From the other thread I thought you were better than this.

You lost me on this. Did my response clearify this for you?

[djmilf]

Originally Posted by momonkey

Detroit spends far above what is the normal per student rate.

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

You're mixing apples and bananas. Detroit has a high per pupil spending but is generally considered one of the country's poorest school systems as far as population.

In 2009 Detroit Public Schools received funding of about $7600 per student, which puts it well below the state average of $11,831 per student and below the national average of $8,710 per student in 2005. The lowest funding per student in Michigan for 2009 was about $7300; the highest funding per student was $15,000.

Sources:

Interactive | Michigan 2009 per-pupil funding by district | The Detroit News

Michigan School Funding Still Above National Average [Michigan Capitol Confidential]

[Vejadu]

Originally Posted by Savoir Faire

Red states have the worst graduation rates. Good schools, crappy students.

By your own map, the states in the highest percentile are Utah, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Vermont. Six of which are solidly red states.

Oklahoma is on the same tier as Connecticut and New York is in the same rank as the poor, low-performing southern states, which doesn't really support the idea that rich areas always have superior schools.

I graduated from a tiny, typical, non-wealthy rural high school in a red state farming community. My graduating class was just under 40 and of the roughly 20 guys I graduated with, of those who didn't stay on the farm or take over the family business, every single one was a college graduate and several went on to get advanced degrees. My college friends, who also came from various small rural schools, also all have Bachelor's and Master's degrees.

It's irritating when the stereotype of the uneducated red state hick is constantly circulated by the left as a means to undermine the validity of Conservative opinions.

[Bluefly]

Originally Posted by momonkey

The article went into some detail as to how the schools were judged. Since they used several different measures of success, it seems they anticipated excuses and rationalizing by those on the losing side.

Was there something specifically wrong with their methodology or are you just unhappy that red states have measurably better schools?

The red state / blue state battle is for the playground. We can all point to Texas' inability to balance its budget or end poverty or Michigan's struggles to overcome unions and get on our high horse. Reality is that neither side has all the answers and this silly assessment with its silly criteria doesn't change that.

[detwahDJ]

Originally Posted by TRUEGRITT

HERE'S A SHOCKER: Republican States Have The Best Public Schools In The Country, By A Long Shot
There are some on here who love to compare the blue and red states for perceived superiority by the blue states so I found this gem just for them.

If these public schools are so good, why do right-wingers want to privatize them?