US Students' Academic Performance Declines Amid Rising Education Costs

Recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores indicate that American 15-year-olds have achieved some of the lowest reading and math results recorded in a generation. The scores show a 14-point drop in reading, while math performance remains near historic lows. This academic decline has occurred despite a significant increase in education spending, with the U.S. now spending over $21,000 per student, a figure that exceeds spending in every other country.

Concurrently, public satisfaction with K-12 education has reached an all-time low, with 67% of adults expressing dissatisfaction, according to recent Gallup polling. This trend has coincided with a growing momentum for school choice initiatives across the country, as families seek alternatives to the public school system.

Data suggests a shift in the focus of the government school system, with employee numbers increasing while student enrollment declines. Since 2014, government schools have added approximately 620,000 employees, while student enrollment has decreased by around 775,000. This has led to a situation where the system is perceived by some as serving more as an employment program than an educational initiative.

Examples from major cities highlight these issues. In Chicago, Frederick Douglass Academy High School, built for over 1,000 students, currently enrolls only 27 students with 28 adult staff members. Despite spending over $90,000 per pupil and maintaining a staff-to-student ratio exceeding one-to-one, none of the students were found to be proficient in math or reading.

New York City's public school system is also facing challenges, with 43% of students attending schools where more than half the student body is not proficient in math, reading, or both. The city spends upwards of $40,000 per student, yet struggles to achieve basic proficiency.

The COVID-19 pandemic appeared to be a turning point for parental awareness, leading to the passage of universal school choice policies in 18 states over the past six years. Despite schools reopening, trust has not been restored, and the perceived emphasis on ideological agendas within schools has further fueled parental dissatisfaction.

This dissatisfaction is reflected in rising homeschooling rates. In New York, homeschooling has increased by over 200% in the last 15 years, with 53,905 children now educated at home, a significant portion of whom are in New York City. This surge is notable given New York's restrictive homeschooling regulations.

Texas has also seen high demand for school choice. Following a legislative win in 2025, the state's program has a waitlist of over 100,000 students due to limited initial funding. While proposals exist to double the funding, some advocate for removing caps entirely, arguing that the scholarship amount per student is less than the per-pupil spending in traditional public schools.