America spends too much on K-12 schools | Erika Sanzi Sep 25, 2026 1 hr ago 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The U.S. spends too much on K–12 education. Erika Sanzi kAmkDA2?m%92E 5@6D ?@E >62? 6G6CJ 6IA6?5:EFC6 :D F??646DD2CJ[ @C E92E 6G6CJ DE2E6 D9@F=5 DA6?5 E96 D2>6 2>@F?E[ @C E92E D49@@=D 4@F=5 @A6C2E6 H:E9@FE 25>:?:DEC2E@CD[ EC2?DA@CE2E:@? 2?5 DFAA@CE D6CG:46D] xE >62?D E96 AC:46 @7 AF3=:4 65F42E:@? 92D 364@>6 5:D4@??64E65 7C@> C6DF=ED 2?5 E96 ?F>36C @7 DEF56?ED D6CG65] %2IA2J6CD 2C6 A2J:?8 4@?D:56C23=J >@C6 7@C =6DD]k^DA2?m k^AmkAmkDA2?muC@> 72== a_`h E@ 72== a_ac[ AF3=:4 D49@@= 6?C@==>6?E 76== 3J `]c >:==:@?[ @C a]gT] u2==:?8 3:CE9 C2E6D 6IA=2:? A2CE @7 E92E 564=:?6] u2>:=:6D 2=D@ 92G6 >@G65 E@ AC:G2E6 D49@@=D[ 9@>6D49@@=:?8[ >:4C@\D49@@=D 2?5 @E96C 2=E6C?2E:G6D] x? E96 AF3=:4 DJDE6>[ 6?C@==>6?E 92D D9:7E65 7C@> EC25:E:@?2= 5:DEC:4E D49@@=D E@H2C5 492CE6C D49@@=D]k^DA2?m k^Am People are also reading… Smyth enrollment report shows elementary school is home to most students Smyth schools receive about $9.4M in grants for projects at CHS, MSHS Food City's investment in new Marion store exceeds $15M Despite opposition, concerns about rights, Marion council adopts loitering ordinance 7 Smyth schools to benefit from security funding Chilhowie Apple Festival to celebrate USA's 250th Virginia Voices: Lieutenant Governor gets to know Wytheville 1,374 pages: Smyth School Board receives study of school buildings' needs A look at Smyth board's OK of data center zoning regs Keys to victory in Virginia Tech football's road opener against Maryland Smyth man accused of forging military document Grant program that's helped Wythe, Smyth farmers now accepting applications No mercy: Smyth prosecutor, victim's nephew fight murderer's parole Friday Night Lights: Rural Retreat Farmers Market to expand opportunities Feels Like Home: Lewis' Country Store prepares to open in Chilhowie kAmkDA2?m$A6?5:?8 >@G65 :? E96 @AA@D:E6 5:C64E:@?] p44@C5:?8 E@ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^FC=5676?D6]4@>^Gb^009EEADi^AC@5\:6D\5>\>:8C2E:@?]Db]FD\8@G\H6DE\`]2>2K@?2HD]4@>^?46D^2DD6E03F:=56C052E2^a_ae^_c^a_ae__g0u*ac}!tu$0u:CDE{@@<]A5700jPP{G*K:4xP?upvuca%}#Dg;:2ye%AbK(Ga:ex;&A}>{`~B"h;=2t(359F#v<gff2r"?y(&4KDA%{+crJ@#pq#c!DcSQm}2E:@?2= r6?E6C 7@C t5F42E:@? $E2E:DE:4Dk^2m[ 6IA6?5:EFC6D A6C AFA:= :?4C62D65 7C@> S`b[`gf :? 7:D42= J62C a_`h E@ S`f[ecc :? 7:D42= J62C a_ac — 2 bcT ?@>:?2= :?4C62D6]k^DA2?m k^AmkAmkDA2?m$A6?5:?8 2=D@ :?4C62D65 27E6C 25;FDE:?8 7@C :?7=2E:@?] r@?8C6DD 2FE9@C:K65 2? 255:E:@?2= k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]82@]8@G^2DD6ED^82@\ac\`_eh`b\9:89=:89ED]A57Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmS`gh]d 3:==:@?k^2m :? E6>A@C2CJ 7656C2= r~'xs\`h C6=:67 7@C D49@@=D 5FC:?8 E9:D A6C:@5]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2?m$49@@=D 5:5 ?@E FD6 E92E 6IA2?D:@k^DA2?m? >6C6=J E@ AC6D6CG6 DE277:?8 =6G6=D] %96J 25565 6>A=@J66D] q6EH66? 72== a_`b 2?5 72== a_aa[ AF3=:4\D49@@= 6?C@==>6?E 564=:?65 3J cae[_dg DEF56?ED H9:=6 D49@@=D 25565 e_f[deh DE277 >6>36CD] %@E2= DE277:?8 8C6H `_T[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^FC=5676?D6]4@>^Gb^009EEADi^36==H6E96C]@C8^AF3=:42E:@?D^564=:?:?8\6?C@==>6?E\:?\`_\7:8FC6D^00jPP{G*K:4xP?upvuca%}#Dg;:2ye%AbK(Ga:ex;&A}>{`~B"h;=2t(359F#v<gff2r"?y(&4KDA%{+crJ@#&x_6'FtSQmkDA2?mq6==H6E96C 2?2=JD:Dk^DA2?mk^2m] s:DEC:4E 25>:?:DEC2E:G6 DE277:?8 — :?4=F5:?8 @77:4:2=D[ 25>:?:DEC2E@CD 2?5 :?DECF4E:@?2= 4@@C5:?2E@CD — :?4C62D65 3J ch[ef` A@D:E:@?D[ @C beT]k^Am kAmkDA2?m$EF56?E A6C7@C>2?46 5:5 ?@E 7@==@H E96 D2>6 EC2;64E@CJ] }2E:@?2= C625:?8 D4@C6D 564=:?65 282:? :? a_ac] p>@?8 AF3=:4\D49@@= DEF56?ED[ @?=J b_T @7 7@FCE9\8C256CD 2?5 ahT @7 6:89E9\8C256CD A6C7@C>65 2E @C 23@G6 AC@7:4:6?4J :? C625:?8] yFDE afT @7 6:89E9\8C256CD C624965 AC@7:4:6?4J :? >2E9] $4@C6D :? 3@E9 DF3;64ED C6>2:?65 36=@H a_`h =6G6=D]k^DA2?mk^Am Spend more on schools in poor districts that badly need it | James Rosen glaring spending gap On the surface, the U.S. seems to spend a lot on education — more per student than all but a few countries. kAmkDA2?m%92E :D ?@E 2? 2C8F>6?E 7@C D49@@=D E@ DA6?5 >@?6J 5:776C6?E=J] xE :D 6G:56?46 E92E E96 4@F?ECJ :D DA6?5:?8 E@@ >F49 7@C E96 65F42E:@? :E C646:G6Di 76H6C DEF56?ED[ >@C6 6>A=@J66D[ 9:896C 4@DED 2?5 564=:?:?8 C6DF=ED]k^DA2?m k^Am kAmkDA2?m%96 2>@F?E DA6?E A6C AFA:= 2=D@ D9@F=5 ?@E 36 4@?7FD65 H:E9 E96 2>@F?E C6249:?8 4=2DDC@@>D] rFCC6?E 6IA6?5:EFC6D :?4=F56 :?DECF4E:@?[ 3FE 2=D@ 25>:?:DEC2E:@?[ EC2?DA@CE2E:@?[ 7@@5 D6CG:46[ DEF56?E DFAA@CE[ @A6C2E:@?D 2?5 >2:?E6?2?46] kDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>QmqC@256C D49@@= 3F586ED 42CCJ 4@?DECF4E:@? 6IA6?D6D 2?5 563E @3=:82E:@?D] s:DEC:4ED 2=D@ A2J 7@C 4@?DF=E2?ED[ 4@>>F?:42E:@?D 56A2CE>6?ED[ =682= 2?5 4@>A=:2?46 @77:46D[ 2?5 @E96C 24E:G:E:6D E92E 5@ ?@E 5:C64E=J E6249 49:=5C6? 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C625:?8 :>AC@G6>6?E 7C@> a_aa E@ a_ad[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^FC=5676?D6]4@>^Gb^009EEADi^65F42E:@?D4@C642C5]@C8^00jPP{G*K:4xP?upvuca%}#Dg;:2ye%AbK(Ga:ex;&A}>{`~B"h;=2t(359F#v<gff2r"?y(&4KDA%{+crJ@#A`3uev&SQmkDA2?mw2CG2C5\$E2?7@C5 t5F42E:@? $4@C642C5k^DA2?mk^2m] {@F:D:2?2 DA6?E S`d[fbh 2?5 H2D E96 @?=J DE2E6 H9@D6 a_ac 7@FCE9\8C256 C625:?8 D4@C6 DFCA2DD65 :ED a_`h C6DF=E]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 52E2\>46\>2C<lQ`Qmu=@C:52 @776CD A6C92AD E96 4=62C6DE 4@>A2C:D@?] xE DA6?E S`b[fa` A6C AFA:= 3FE D4@C65 D:8?:7:42?E=J 23@G6 E96 ?2E:@?2= AF3=:4 D49@@= 2G6C286 :? 7@FCE9\8C256 >2E9] u=@C:52 249:6G65 E92E C6DF=E H9:=6 DA6?5:?8 92=7 2D >F49 A6C DEF56?E 2D |2DD249FD6EED 2?5 }6H y6CD6J]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmkDA2? 52E2\>46\>2C<lQ`Qm|@?6J >2EE6CD[ 3FE E92E 5@6D ?@E >62? 6G6CJ DA6?5:?8 =6G6= :D ;FDE:7:65] (96? 4@DED 2?5 DE277:?8 C:D6 H9:=6 6?C@==>6?E 2?5 249:6G6>6?E 72== — 2?5 H96? D@>6 DE2E6D @3E2:? 4@>A6E:E:G6 C6DF=ED 7@C 5C2>2E:42==J =6DD — E96 4@?4=FD:@? :D DEC2:89E7@CH2C5i %96 &]$] DA6?5D E@@ >F49 @? z\`a 65F42E:@? 2?5 86ED E@@ =:EE=6 :? C6EFC?]k^DA2?mk^Am Sanzi is director of communications at Defending Education. She wrote this for InsideSources.com. 0 Comments 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 Most Popular Have we already lost control of artificial intelligence? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Can increasingly capable machines share human values? 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