Education Secretary Arne Duncan testified before the Senate Budget Committee today, in large part to defend the massive increases in education spending that have occurred under President Obama (68 percent, including the stimulus). In his 2012 budget, Obama calls for an 11 percent increase in spending on education.
Sen. Jeff Session (R., Ala.), ranking Republican, pointed out that when it comes to education, more spending doesn’t necessarily produce better results. Case in point:
Spending per student — South Korea: $8,000; United States: $12,000.
International ranking (reading, math) — South Korea: 1st, 1st; United States: 14th, 25th.
And yet, the Obama administration not only thinks we have the money to spend more on education (we don’t, as Sessions points out), but that doing so is the only way to “win the future.” If the figures above are any indication, it clearly isn’t.
In the clip below, Session and Duncan are discussing federal Pell grants. The number of grant recipients are projected to rise from about 6 million in 2008 to 9.6 million in 2012. During that same period, grant costs are set to double to $36 billion.
Overall, the amount of money the federal government gives out or guarantees in student loans is set to increase from $98 billion in 2008 to $167 billion in 2012, an increase of 68 percent.
As Duncan tries to make the case for more spending, Sessions interjects: “Why don’t we just spent three times as much? Won’t that just help us fix it all?”
Duncan responds by arguing that when in comes to Pell grants, the administration “made some very tough cuts,” i.e. asking for a $5 billion increase while “reducing costs” by $20 billion:
Sessions: “This is Washington math. You haven’t cut Pell grants. Pell grants are increasing dramatically, Mr. Secretary. The numbers are plain.”
Duncan: “That’s correct, and they would have increased even more substantially, even more significantly did we not made the tough painful decision to eliminate…”
Sessions: “You’re proposing they be increased that much, they’re not going to be increased that much becaue we don’t have the money!”
Lots more here.
@ Andrew Stiles: I agree 100% that spending more is not the answer to our education problems. Although, possibly spending more if not the same in poorer districts (including rural) would help.
Yes South Korea spends $4,000 less than we do in the US. However, doesn't South Korea pre-select who will attend school? Doesn't that skew the results?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhen is an increase, not an increase?
When Secretary of Education Duncan says it is so.
Remember, this guy is in charge of education.
What a maroon.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSouth Korea = $8K spending per student, per capita income $29,791.
US = $12K spending per student, per capita income $47,123.
The 2 countries have a roughly equivalent level of spending in relation to per capita income.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI have never understood why Pell Grant students receive money to attend college while those up a notch have to borrow the money. Can someone explain that to me?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYes we need trained workers in many industries. Why fund the learning of students who are simply putting off joining the work force for four years and doing the minimum effort required for vanity degrees. I would give twice as much money to engineers, scientists and mathematicians as I would art history and social sciences. Also apply performance measures, money goes to the top 25 % of academic achievers. Forget the grades- they are already inflated beyond value.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThere's a very happy alliance between colleges and federally-guaranteed student loan funds. It enables colleges to raise tuition at rates that far exceed inflation, while continuing to provide a more and more dubious education to a wider demographic - and then the DOE scratches its head, wondering why the default rates go up.
There is no math that stands up to scrutiny that says more dollars equals better outcomes. If that were true, we'd never have dropouts in high school, everyone would graduate from college with a job in their field, and daisies would grow magically out of the tips of unicorn horns that we are all now federally-granted as part of our collegiate graduation ceremonies.
I've worked at a college. There's a level of arrogance at the higher levels that is somewhat stunning in its sheer stupidity - they truly believe that everyone not only wants what they're selling, but that everyone needs what they're selling, so the cost really doesn't matter in the long run. Higher ed is in love with higher ed. They're not necessarily in love with education.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseConservatives will never win the education spending argument. Not enough people will connect the dots between spending and results. Parents with kids in the system will always want more money put into education.
The discussion needs to be framed as local versus central control. DC should not be telling Paris Texas or Sacramento CA how to run their schools. The people in the community should decide how the money is spent.
In addition, all subsidies for college should be eliminated. Force the colleges to compete based on price and quality. No student - not one - rides free on the taxpayer dime (why should a citizen be forced to pay for another's higher education?)Make market rates available to every student. College costs come down. Money is available to anyone who chooses to go. The student paying off their loan provides the capital for the next student entering college.
If colleges want to give away tuitions to the latest victim group they can use their endowments.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseArne Duncan is not and has never been a teacher.
With every extra dollar we have spent in the Department of Education, which operates ZERO schools, academic perfromances has declined. And further the creation of the Department has done nothing discernable to improve education other than create another bureaucracy for hacks. Unless forcing aprenst to waste hours filling out a FASA form is some accomplishment.
But let's spend more. Thank you, Senator Sessions. Defund the whole Department.
And to add to Chris's comment; federal loan guarantees have done nothing more than giving colleges free hand to continue to raise tuition rates well beyond inflation year after year. If you want to have a real barn burner of a hearing, let's have some college presidents put on the Congressional spit to explain why they have no idea how to manage their money or are simply stealing with the help of Chuck Schumer. No college graduate today can expect to be able to buy a car or a home due to this crusing debt. That is a scandal.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWe don't have the money? That's why 239 GOP members of the house voted for continued subsidies to oil companies yesterday. Priorities people!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs much as I love President George W. Bush, his "Leave no Child Behind Act of 2001" with ole Gin-Blossom Teddy Kennedy was not the ticket. What it has appeared to do was lower the common denominator in education to include all. Now teachers here in Florida, appear to focus on their classes passing the FCAT, not teaching exceptionalism. The FCAT seemed to be a good idea, and God knows, kids need to read and cipher (as Jed Clampett would say) before advancing, but it lowers expectations. Kids need to be pushed and challenged into learning. Also, my understanding of the UK model: tests determine if some kids go to college, some go to tech trades, seems to make sense, but may not be that great. The idea that all should or will go to college in the US (using Pell grants and loans they will forever be in debt for) is not the answer. Nor is increasing the budget for education without cause.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@je1988: "Poorer" districts doesn't necessarily equal "less well-funded" districts. The money does not equate to success.
Defund the federal Department of Education. Return that money to the taxpayers, who can then use it to hire a tutor or two. (Or buy curriculums, if they homeschool.)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTo All,
Listen people this is a huge problem and I can not tell you how frustrating it is to me.
From my own experience, a lot of these problems are caused by parents. A large number of parents do not seem to care and their behavior shows it. These parents just seem to think that you can purchase stuff and that is good enough.
Ask yourself - Do you allow video games in your home? Do you read with you child? Do you expect straight A's? Parents from what I can see are not willing to be with their child and expect high performance levels.
Now I am a single Dad and I sacrificed a career for my son. But I promised my decease wife that I would make sure that I would take care of him. He is a straight A student and a wonderfully thoughtful young man. He is an athlete and throws the discus. He also plays the Blues sole-fully. So he is not an egg-head.
He has hopes of going to Harvard Med and figuring out what killed his Mom.
We do not have video games in our home. He is required to read journals and we discuss them at length in an adult setting.
This how you get performance; you demand it, you provide the tools, and you sacrifice to get it.
Sincerely,
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGary