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Lindsey Burke, Heritage Foundation Domestic Policy analyst, on government spending on education rising, but taxpayers not reaping the benefits.
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What the United States has spent nearly two trillion dollars with a T.
On education since 1965.
But American schools are still lagging behind others around the world other countries around the world.
So our taxpayers really getting their money's worth joining me now to Lindsey Burke domestic policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation.
Lindsay thanks for joining us two trillion dollars.
Every time I look up we're falling further and further behind.
The rest of the developed world.
Now you're absolutely right but if a company had been getting the same results as federal education policy has gotten for the past 45 years.
They would've gone out of business a long time ago we have seen federal per pupil expenditures -- and yet.
Reading it's -- is flat academic achievement gaps persist.
American students still rank in the middle of the pack with their international peers and graduation rates for the same today as they were in the 1970 step.
It's definitely a business model we need to rethink and one that needs to plant more power in the hands of parents and local leaders.
Not the federal government.
So Lindsay did so we're really not talking you know we really shouldn't be debating the issue of money because -- we throw enough money at this and yet.
Every -- we talk about how America's falling apart large swaths of our population say we need to throw more money and it.
Right yeah is certainly not a matter spending more money the Department of Education has a fifty billion dollar budget and we have seen in this education spending spree.
Really reached new heights under the current administration the Obama administration gifted.
The Department of Education a 100 billion dollar bonus through the stimulus and an even bigger problem I think.
Is this proliferation of programs that all of this -- spending enables the Department of Education now operates well over 100 programs.
These programs really end up levying a red tape on -- states.
The have to comply with all of these federal rules and regulations so.
We really need to start thinking about not so much how much money we're spending but how do we get money into the hands of state and local leaders.
Who can better spend it and know what needs are in their states and how to meet the needs of local children.
When -- what what you know I'm I'm and I'm intrigued by these programs can give me an example what you mean with these special programs.
Well we saw all of last year and the year before that with the Obama administration and the race the top program.
This is a competitive -- program that handed out four point 35 billion dollars in new spending.
And this came out of the stimulus that hundred billion dollars.
And unfortunately.
I don't think we're going to see you really widespread chains come out of this it's damn war spending.
And this is really the problem -- year after year decade after decade we seem warm more niche programs.
Added on there are more than sixty competitive grant programs alone under No Child Left Behind.
Every year we seem to think at this time we'll get their right Washington -- that are right by adding yet another program right and that's -- hasn't been the case.
Living do you think you talk -- you just mentioned the Department of Education a lot of people are now saying.
We will be better off -- we simply ditch that department we just that have been at all and to your point.
Somehow let the local school -- handle it themselves.
Right so I think the first steps ultimately getting merits ultimately reducing the federal but -- It's starting to tackle some of these programs.
If we don't -- that will start to see programs going to other departments or really as a matter of trimming down an apartment getting rid of the -- hundred programs that they operate.
And really getting it down to to the few programs that would -- money into the hands of those students were most in need.
And the way in which we do that is by ultimately were storing controlled state and local leaders and allowing them to use -- in a far more flexible way.
You know throw -- frightens me is I've been done some research on this I was involved with a charter school in the South Bronx were few years.
Says if you look at who's at the top bid to PI SA.
Report that comes out you see China's at the top.
You see America falling down -- things is at the bottom of the list you know the -- -- and the Spain's of the world.
In a sort of tells us.
Does is beat this is a really deep problem and and they have it can lead us to bring it somewhere in the world as we know we -- lose our leadership position and what we don't tackle this the right way.
Right and so it's again comes back to the question -- are we going to solve the problem by further centralizing control over education.
This is something that has been going on for the past nearly fifty years now so I think it's time for us to start thinking about how we improve education and a whole different way.
It's time to start thinking about how states can do this better we are seeing some really exciting proposals come from states.
Arizona -- enacted education savings accounts which will allow parents with special needs students to receive their per pupil spending.
In an education savings account.
That they can then use to pay for private school tuition.
And even roll it over to pay for college he's an innovative types of solutions that we need to start thinking about.
Not continuing to spend more money getting more and more federal involvement and warm or federal programs.
Imagine that unlocking innovation amongst Americans rather than our government Lindsey -- thank you very much appreciated.
Well --
