Pennsylvania Public Schools are Failing — and More Money Won’t Help

Originally published by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Imagine bringing home a report card full of Ds and Fs. How would your parents react? Also, would this be a good time to ask for a raise in your allowance? Sadly, this is what’s happening with Pennsylvania public education.

Every two years, the U.S. Department of Education assesses public schools nationwide and publishes the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or the Nation’s Report Card, findings. The January release shows Pennsylvania schools aren’t making the grade: About 7 in 10 Pennsylvania eighth graders cannot read or perform math at grade level.

This academic crisis is even more dire in Philadelphia, where 82% of eighth graders cannot read at grade level, and 85% aren’t proficient in math. Nearly half of the state’s lowest-achieving schools are in the Philadelphia School District.

Read more at The Philadelphia Inquirer.