Spend more on schools in poor districts that badly need it | James Rosen glaring spending gap Sep 25, 2026 Sep 25, 2026 × Aljazeera From funding cuts to culture wars. This is America looks at the battle over how children are taught in public schools. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save On the surface, the U.S. seems to spend a lot on education — more per student than all but a few countries. James Rosen InsideSources/InsideSources/TNS kAm%96 &]$] DA6?5D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^8AD65F42E:@?]@645]@C8^r@F?ECJ!C@7:=6nAC:>2CJr@F?ECJl&$pU2>AjE@A:4lt~U2>AjEC6D9@=5l`_U2>AjFE>0D@FC46l492E8AE]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmSa_[bgfk^2m A6C DEF56?E[ 7@FCE9 >@DE :? E96 H@C=5] ~?=J {FI6>3@FC8[ }@CH2J 2?5 pFDEC:2 — D>2== 4@F?EC:6D H:E9 A@AF=2E:@?D F?56C `_ >:==:@? — :?G6DE >@C6] k^AmkAm%@E2= 65F42E:@? DA6?5:?8 :D d]gT @7 @FC 8C@DD 5@>6DE:4 AC@5F4E[ 4@>A2C65 H:E9 2? 2G6C286 @7 c]fT @7 vs! :? 5@K6?D @7 @E96C }@CE9 p>6C:42? 2?5 tFC@A62? ?2E:@?D] k^Am kAmqFE E9:D DFA6C7:4:2= G:6H 5:DE@CED E96 <6J BF6DE:@? @7 H96E96C H6 DA6?5 6?@F89 E@ 65F42E6 @FC J@F?8 A6@A=6] %96 ECFE9n (6 DA6?5 >@C6 E92? 6?@F89 :? D@>6 H62=E9J 6?4=2G6D[ 2?5 72C E@@ =:EE=6 :? >2?J A@@C D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED[ 4@?46?EC2E65 :? CFC2= 2C62D 2?5 :>A@G6C:D965 FC32? 46?E6CD] k^Am People are also reading… Walworth County conducting Clean Sweep recycling events Oct. 2-3 A Badger football tradition; the youth athletes that support the team Brewers Double-A team, Biloxi, falls just short of league title Week 6 high school football scores Walworth County to host Aging and Abilities Resource Fair on Sept. 24 Road work begins on Cook Street in downtown Lake Geneva Lake Geneva alders reject proposal for new finance committee With troublesome rib gone, Brewers pitcher optimistic for spring training Fall heats up in Lake Geneva area: Boat show, St. Francis de Sales School cuts ribbon on expansion project Town of Delavan to host annual Oktoberfest on Oct. 3 Ecological restoration planning begins on Hillmoor property Aurora Health Care Foundation to host 40th benefit event Bucks, Uline partnership for jersey patch draws ire of fans Lake Geneva approves five-year strategic action plan kAm*@F ?665 E@ =@@< 2E 65F42E:@? DA6?5:?8 :? 6249 DE2E6] p?5 3642FD6 D49@@=D 86E D@ >F49 @7 E96:C 7F?5:?8 7C@> =@42= AC@A6CEJ E2I6D[ E96 7@4FD D9:7ED 7C@> 65F42E:@? AC:@C:E:6D E@ C62= 6DE2E6 G2=F6D] k^AmkAmp>@?8 E96 `_ DE2E6D A=FD E96 s:DEC:4E @7 r@=F>3:2 E92E DA6?5 E96 >@DE A6C AFA:=[ D:I 92G6 E96 9:896DE >65:2? C6D:56?E:2= AC@A6CEJ G2=F6Di w2H2::[ E96 s:DEC:4E @7 r@=F>3:2[ |2DD249FD6EED[ }6H y6CD6J[ }6H w2>AD9:C6 2?5 #9@56 xD=2?5] p?5 >@DE DE2E6D E92E D<:>A @? 65F42E:@? 7F?5:?8[ H:E9 |:DD:DD:AA: 2?5 ~<=29@>2 :? E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E6DE]46?DFD]8@G^?6HDC@@>^AC6DD\C6=62D6D^a_ae^D49@@=\DJDE6>\7:?2?46D]9E>=nFE>0D@FC46l492E8AE]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm3@EE@> 7:G6k^2m[ 92G6 C6=2E:G6=J =@H 9@>6 AC:46D]k^Am kAm%96 DA6?5:?8 82AD 2>@?8 D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED :? 6249 DE2E6 2C6 6G6? >@C6 8=2C:?8] %96 3:886DE 5:DA2C:EJ :D :? }6H *@C<[ H96C6 C:49 5:DEC:4ED :? (6DE496DE6C r@F?EJ 2?5 @? {@?8 xD=2?5 DA6?5 E9C66 E:>6D >@C6 E92? A@@C FC32? 5:DEC:4ED 2?5 A@@C CFC2= 5:DEC:4ED :? FADE2E6 }6H *@C< 2?5 E96 p5:C@?524<D] k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm!6??DJ=G2?:2[ x==:?@:D 2?5 |2DD249FD6EED 92G6 D>2==6C 3FE DE:== D:8?:7:42?E DA6?5:?8 82AD 36EH66? E96:C H62=E9:6DE 2?5 A@@C6DE D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED]k^AmkA 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\=:?<Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^?6HD]=66]?6E^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^434`7c52\4e5e\cd34\243`\efg564bdf_beQmp>6C:42 DA6?5D E@@ >F49 @? z\`a D49@@=D M tC:<2 $2?K:k^2mk^Am kAm%96D6 9F86 82AD H:E9:? DE2E6D 96=A 6IA=2:? H9J D@>6 E92E DA6?5 2 =@E @? 65F42E:@? DE:== 86E 2G6C286 @C 6G6? 36=@H\2G6C286 C6DF=ED :? DEF56?ED’ >2E9 2?5 C625:?8 D4@C6D] $EF56?ED :? E96 s:DEC:4E @7 r@=F>3:2 2?5 w2H2::[ 7@C 6I2>A=6[ 2C6 36=@H 2G6C286 56DA:E6 C6=2E:G6=J 9:89 65F42E:@? DA6?5:?8] tG6? E9@F89 E96:C DE2E6D 2=D@ C2?< 2>@?8 E96 E@A `_ :? A6C\AFA:= DA6?5:?8[ DEF56?ED :? '6C>@?E[ s6=2H2C6 2?5 #9@56 xD=2?5 @3E2:? @?=J 2G6C286 E6DE C6DF=ED] k^Am kAm&E29[ 3J 4@?EC2DE[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E6DE]46?DFD]8@G^?6HDC@@>^AC6DD\C6=62D6D^a_ae^D49@@=\DJDE6>\7:?2?46D]9E>=nFE>0D@FC46l492E8AE]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmDA6?5Dk^2m E96 D64@?5\=@H6DE 2>@F?E A6C DEF56?E[ 3FE C2?<D 2>@?8 E96 E@A `_ DE2E6D :? 65F42E:@? 249:6G6>6?E 32D65 @? E6DE:?8] u=@C:52 DEF56?ED A6C7@C> 23@G6 2G6C286[ J6E @?=J 6:89E DE2E6D DA6?5 =6DD A6C AFA:=] k^Am kAm%96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 t5F42E:@? AC@G:56D E6?D @7 3:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD E@ AF3=:4 D49@@=D] %CF>A D:8?65 2? 6I64FE:G6 @C56C :? |2C49 a_ad D66<:?8 E@ 6=:>:?2E6 E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 t5F42E:@?[ 2 >@G6 @?=J r@?8C6DD 42? >2<6] r@?8C6DD 4C62E65 E96 t5F42E:@? s6A2CE>6?E :? `hfh 2E E96 FC8:?8 @7 !C6D:56?E y:>>J r2CE6C]  k^AmkAmx? `hhc[ H96? x H2D 9:C65 E@ H@C< :? (2D9:?8E@?[ s]r][ x 49@D6 E@ =:G6 :? u2:C72I r@F?EJ[ 2 ':C8:?:2 DF3FC3[ 3642FD6 :ED D49@@= 5:DEC:4E H2D C2?<65 2>@?8 E96 4@F?ECJ’D 36DE] }6H E62496CD 4@>A6E65 7:6C46=J E@ =2?5 ;@3D E96C6 3642FD6 DE2CE:?8 D2=2C:6D H6C6 9:89] %96 >65:2? 9@FD69@=5 :?4@>6 :? u2:C72I r@F?EJ H2D S`cf[___[ E9:C5 9:896DE :? E96 DE2E6] %92?<D E@ 9:89 C62= 6DE2E6 G2=F6D 2?5 ?6:893@C9@@5D 7:==65 H:E9 AC@76DD:@?2=D H:==:?8 E@ A2J 9:89 AC@A6CEJ E2I6D[ @FC D@? C646:G65 2 DFA6C=2E:G6 65F42E:@?]k^Am kAmyFDE `__ >:=6D D@FE9 @7 u2:C72I r@F?EJ :D tDD6I r@F?EJ] u2:C72I 925 2 A@AF=2E:@? @7 hfa[___ H:E9 2 >65:2? 9@>6 G2=F6 @7 Sb`_[hfg[ H9:=6 a_[___ A6@A=6 =:G65 :? tDD6I H96C6 E96 >65:2? 9@>6 G2=F6 H2D S`_`[e__] %96 E2I 32D6 7@C u2:C72I D49@@=D H2D >@C6 E92? E9C66 E:>6D 3:886C[ H:E9 >2?J >@C6 9@FD69@=5D 7F?5:?8 :E[ 4@>A2C65 E@ tDD6I D49@@=D] (:D6 r@F?EJ H2D DE:== A@@C6C]k^AmkAmp>6C:42VD @77:4:2= A@G6CEJ C2E6 :D 9:DE@C:42==J =@H 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]46?DFD]8@G^?6HDC@@>^AC6DD\C6=62D6D^a_ae^:?4@>6\A@G6CEJ\962=E9\:?DFC2?46\4@G6C286]9E>=nFE>0D@FC46l492E8AE]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm`_]aTk^2m] *6E E96 82A 36EH66? A@@C 2?5 C:49 :D =2C86]k^Am kAmuC@> DA246 2?5 D4:6?46 E@ E96 :?E6C?6E 2?5 2CE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46[ E96 &]$] 92D =@?8 366? @? E96 4FEE:?8 6586 @7 6DD6?E:2= :??@G2E:@?] x7 H6 H2?E E@ >2:?E2:? E92E 6586[ H6 ?665 E@ DA6?5 >@C6 @? 65F42E:@? 2?5 DE66C :E E@ E96 =2C86 F?56C7F?565 A@4<6ED 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ]k^Am Rosen is a former political reporter and Pentagon correspondent for McClatchy. He wrote this for InsideSources.com. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story America spends too much on K-12 schools | Erika Sanzi The U.S. spends too much on K–12 education. US public school crisis | This is America From funding cuts to culture wars. This is America looks at the battle over how children are taught in public schools.
US public school crisis | This is America From funding cuts to culture wars. This is America looks at the battle over how children are taught in public schools.