International Educational Rankings

Where does the United States rank in educational statistics in the world? Well, let's find out.

I have posted a map which shows the primary school net enrollment rank. The blue indicates net enrollment of 90% - 100%, which is the best in the world. You will notice the United States is completely blue.

I also looked up educational spending. The United States is currently 37th in the world in educational spending. We spend about 5.7% of our GDP on education. In comparison, Mexico spends 5.3%, Canada spends 5.2%, South Korea spends 4.2% and interestingly, Cuba spends 18%. I think that has more to do with the size of their GDP than the amount they spend on education.

So far so good, right. Next, I wanted to look at the indicators that I deem vital in the educational picture of our country. Math and science are two of the most important indicators to me. They measure abstract thought because, by their natures, they demand abstract thought. Abstract thought is high level thought and thought that produces innovation and discovery. Is our country producing this type of thinking?

The statistics I am about to quote are the results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) involving a half-million students in 41 countries. Of the top fifteen countries in 12 th grade math, the United States ranked 14 out of 15, beating out Austria for 14th. The weighted average score was 497.5 with the United States scoring 442. The highest score was France with 557.

On the 12 grade science test, Austria and the U. S. switched places, the United States finished 15th and Austria 14th. The average weighted score was 497.8 with the United States scoring 423. The highest scores was Norway with 581.

The Asian countries were not included as their system does not include 12th grade. To see where they rank in the lower grades in comparison, click RIGHT HERE and be sure to scroll down. You will find them leading the way.

So, what does this say about our current state of education. If you look at the reading literacy scores you will find that we are in the upper quadrant of reading literacy, but if you have followed these statistics for the past several years you will see that even reading is slipping slightly. I believe there are a couple factors at work here.

First, as I stated earlier, math and science are subjects that demand abstract thinking. They are also subjects that demand hard work and no short cuts. If you examine these math and science facts more closely you will find a domination by the Asian countries. If you examine overall math literacy you will find Japan and South Korea leading the way. Why? I think Gladwell in his book, Outliers, has it right, it is about culture. Gladwell writes that the Asian cultures grew rice in the rice paddies while the rest of us grew crops in wide open fields. To become better and wealthier, it was a matter of more fields - quantity - for the U. S. and others. For the Asian countries who grew rice, to become better and wealthier it was a better rice paddy with better water and better soil - quality. Quality is always better than quantity. I think we have gotten off track a bit in this country regarding both of those traits. I recently saw a bumper sticker that made my point, "He who dies with the most toys wins." Wins what is my question.

Second, I think the sheer size of schools today has added to our shrinking statistics. I grew up in a small town going to a small school. I knew my teacher and principal by name. Today's schools are huge with multiple principals and thousands of kids. Education is meant to be intimate and relational; when this is removed it takes something away from the process.

And my final thought is this... effort is important. Today, I see effort to get done and not effort to do best. I think this is crucial to our kids as they walk into the global community that awaits them. Today's kids are not much different than yesterday's kids. I wanted to slide by with little or no effort. I wanted to blame my teacher for everything. I wanted to blame the teacher for disrespecting me, but you know what... my parents would have none of it. If the teacher called or the school called... I was in trouble, and that was final. It taught me to stop blaming others and messing around and take responsibility for my own actions.

At Westminster Christian Academy, we have great kids and great parents. We can set the tone and map a path back to the best education in the world. At Westminster we believe in our students, and we believe in them so much that we can press them to work a little harder and give more effort because we know what awaits them.

It is time for something to be done about our educational system, especially our public sector. We spend plenty of money and have many fine teachers, but yet we are not producing what we ought to be producing. As we debate this, guess what? Our students are losing out. That is unacceptable. We keep building bigger schools and asking for more money and keep producing shrinking statistics. Why?

Maybe it is time to ask those of us in the private sector. There are many fine private and Christian schools producing great students for a fourth of the money spent in the public sector. Why? Here are just three reasons. The first is competition. Private schools must compete for their students with other schools. Competition produces excellence or else it eliminates. Second, size matters. At Westminster we want to know our students by name and not by number. And third, relationships and morality must be linked and do matter and matter a lot. The process of education is about values and morality, removing them does something drastic to the process and to the students. It demotivates them from giving their best effort.

As the new year comes, let us look at the power of education. It has the power to change culture and reshape a nation. Those of us in Christian education can make a difference. Begin to pray what God can do with you and through you in the new year. There are many of us... imagine what we could do if we united. I pray you and yours have a wonderful new year! Blessings!

If you care to take a look at these statistics click HERE for the website. You can also go to the website for the World Bank (web.worldbank.org) for more statistics.