Guy Ciarrocchi: They’re still failing our kids — and taxpayers, too
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The NAEP 2024 national report card on schools is out.
I wish I didn’t have to write this column. I wish that there was good news to report on public schools in Pennsylvania. But wishes aren’t reality. Tragically, the scores are that bad.
Here are the lowlights. Only 41 percent of fourth graders can do fourth grade math. Only 33 percent can read at a grade level. And, going from bad to worse, at eighth grade, only 31 percent can perform at grade level for math or reading. Grades fall the longer they’re in their district.
The majority of Pennsylvania public school students are not grade-proficient in either math or reading. This isn’t a “blip” in the chart: grades have more or less been stuck here for about 20 years — though the Covid lockdowns seem to have harmed our kids.
As a conservative commentator and policy advocate, I take not one second of satisfaction in sharing this tragic data. As a former Chamber CEO, allow me to present another reason why it’s so challenging to recruit entrepreneurs and existing out-of-state businesses to Pennsylvania. As a softball coach, I think of the girls I coach — what happens to them in ten years?
As a dad of three, rather than scream or cry, I write to be part of a wake up call. And, more importantly, I want to help to fix this broken system.
America’s averages are bad — and, sadly, Pennsylvania’s are worse. As tragic as those scores are, realize that they are averages. This means if you live in a district where the majority of students are at or above proficiency, realize that there is a corresponding district in our state that is far below the woeful proficiency rate of 31 percent for eighth graders.
But before you celebrate mom and dad (or taxpayer) from “above average” school district, realize that we’re subsidizing the district performing below 31 percent. We may likely be subsidizing those students for much of their lives. And you should share the moral outrage and frustrations of the parents of those children — forced into a trajectory of likely failure.
I purposely use the phrase “those children forced into a trajectory of likely failure.”
In most cases, the parents or guardians raising the children in those tragically failing schools know that the schools are academic train wrecks, but they cannot send their students anywhere else. Why? After paying their bills and their school taxes, they simply cannot afford even a nearby parochial elementary school — averaging “only” about $5,100 per student. Worse, in the case of Philadelphia, charter schools are not an option because the Philadelphia School District has capped enrollment at the existing schools and has not not approved a new charter school since 2018.
The sad state of affairs is that the district schools are failing these kids. The parents know that the schools are failing their children. The school boards and bureaucrats in Harrisburg — and at the US Department of Education — know the schools are failing these kids. And there are no alternatives for tens of thousands of students. Yet they keep sending them more and more of our money.
What has the education “swamp” offered as a solution?
They demanded more money from local taxpayers, state taxpayers, and federal taxpayers. They grew the bureaucracy at rates faster than at almost any time in history — administration budgets grew even faster than teachers’ salaries.
We keep feeding them more and more money, as test scores stagnate at best or fall at worst — especially for students from lower incomes, and a disproportionate number of African American and Hispanic students.
In Pennsylvania, we have had the three largest increases in state funding in the last three years — including approximately $1.5 billion in additional dollars in 2024. The average district spends over $23,000 per student. Across Pennsylvania, school districts are holding approximately $6.8 billion in reserve. So, is more money really the answer?
In the classroom, across the nation — across our state — a series of policies have been tried that are misguided at best and foolish at worst.
De-emphasizing grades. Focusing more on political, and cultural strife and activism — dividing our students into “victims” and “oppressors;” warning children that the planet will be uninhabitable by 2030; allowing “close enough” answers in math and science — who will build our bridges, homes and heart-valves? Removing deadlines for class projects and class rank, and canceling ceremonies to honor merit scholars.
Worse than all of the wasteful spending and bloated bureaucracies. Worse than de-emphasizing academics and giving phony grades for wrong answers. Worse than pushing parents away from their children.
Worse than all of that, the teachers unions, school boards, and education swamp have spent millions and millions lobbying to block school choice — opposing vouchers, scholarships and tax credits, capping and limiting charter schools, and defunding cyber charter schools.
They’re failing our kids, wasting our money, and fighting tirelessly to keep students trapped in the very schools that are failing.
Now, with the annual report card: everyone can see their failure. The time for school choice has long since passed.
I do have a suggestion for the NAEP officials. When I was a student at St. Monica’s grade school, we were given grades for effort and conduct. I suggest that the NAEP add them to the school’s report cards.
How are districts conducting themselves; how much effort are they putting into doing what’s best for our students? F!
Guy Ciarrocchi is a Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation. A former Congressional nominee, Chamber CEO — and current softball coach, Guy writes for Broad + Liberty and RealClear Pennsylvania. Follow Guy @PaSuburbsGuy.
Great article. Philadelphia’s biggest problem is not that 24% of the population is living below the poverty line. Think of ALL the money that goes into subsidizing people for most of their entire adult life! As of the 2020 Census, Philadelphia’s population was approximately 1.58 million – so roughly 379,200 people living in poverty in Philadelphia. How many undiscovered Ben Franklin’s, Thomas Edison’s, or Elon Musk’s are there among them? There is one answer that could save PA taxpayers BILLIONS in the long run. The answer? Trying to achieve school choice was putting the cart in front of the horse. Shifty Shapiro is evidence of that. Financial contributions from unions have directly lead to policies that prioritize the interests of the unions over the needs of students. Limiting these contributions via law would potentially create a more balanced political landscape where various stakeholders, including parents and community members, have a stronger voice. By reducing the political power of school unions, policymakers might be more inclined to focus on reforms that directly benefit students, such as school choice, curriculum improvements, and accountability measures. After that, then we can implement steps that would pull an entire generation of children out of a lifetime of poverty. Start by defeating school unions’ power. Then focus on addressing the socioeconomic factors that impact student learning. This could involve providing additional support services, such as counseling, tutoring, and access to technology, to help level the playing field for disadvantaged students.
Mr Sweeney your idea of limiting the right for teachers unions to contribute to political parties is a dead end. The SCOTUS, Supreme Court of the United States has ruled they have the right to contribute to political Canidates . Your idea as to enhanced programs in schools is great . Just try getting the funding. I would base my efforts on school choice and vouchers for alternative schools.
Let us insist that DOGE reforms come to our state and city regarding public education, first and then to every part of our governments, too. Much needed.
Philadelphia public schools are awash in money; the last thing our school district needs is $300 million more tax money to squander on all manner of foolishness having nothing to do with teaching or the graduation our students to be well prepared for their next step up in life. Gov. Shapiro has made another wasteful and highly irresponsible unforced error against our own student’s futures, which is our own futures, too!
Let us also advocate for the Trump administration to review the Sherman Antitrust act and reform it with Congress to include the huge monopoly powers of Teachers, UAW, Longshoremen, Steelworker unions and all unions. These large monopolies cause much more devastation to our economy, to our own students and to our national strength and competitiveness than the merger of any two private corporations.
Why do we permit the Teachers Union to be a monopoly controlling our public schools, when its source of income is from the school taxes that we all, non union taxpayers and union member taxpayers both, pay? Why is any politician permitted to condone such clear and blatant national discrimination using public funds?
Reforms much needed and long overdue to strengthen our country and to improve our governments, too.
Thank you for bringing this to light. I have suspected these issues for years. Great article.
I retired from pharmaceutical labs and became a substitute teacher who has seen the goings on in several school districts, I have observed the following.
1. The worst enemy of learning in the classroom are smartphones. Every teacher I know wishes they could wave a magic wand and get rid of them. Students are constantly sneaking time on videos, texting, etc. A major impediment to banishing these evils are the PARENTS. The parents expect to be able to reach their children at any time. Restrictions on these lead to frequent upset in school board meetings, so the from directive from on high is often – don’t. If I had a nickle for every time a parent called their kid during the middle of class time I could buy a Caribbean island. If parents need to reach a child, call the office, the office calls the classroom and the child gets the call. Pass a state law forbidding smartphones on school grounds. Allow flip phones, simple texting but nothing else.
2. 504’s (Federal statute and IEPs (Individual Education Plan) . These are plans are meant to provide guidance on how to adjust lessons to the individual needs of students with learning difficulties. This is part of the laudable mainstreaming initiative. In some classes up to half of the students have 504s or IEPs and tailoring lessons for each student is a challenge to teacher creativity. Councilors, psychologists, guidance professionals, and emotional support staff all help is this challenge. Some students need a PDA (an adult to supervise them in class) who aren’t teachers, but need to be paid also, a provision of the No Child Left Behind program of George W. Bush. This is a big part of administrative bloat.
3. If a child with a 504 or IEP isn’t doing well, parents often launch a lawsuit. If you are a teacher on the sharp end of such a suit, you’ll lose. The school board wouldn’t back you, and every veteran teacher will whisper “just pass the kid” whether or not they know the stuff.
4. Many students come to school without appropriate grounding in common knowledge. I had one science teacher vent about a student IN THE 10TH GRADE who asked how many seconds were in a minute! He had to swallow the urge to spout out “How can you not know that?!?” and tell him “60 seconds.”
I regularly ask: How many feet in a yard? Inches in a foot? Quarts in a gallon? Feet in a mile? They can’t tell me. Not universal in all school districts but widespread. And I know from the elementary schools I’ve been in, teachers try to present this stuff.
5. Hate to say it, but some students are disruptive boneheads. There is little a teacher can do disciple them, and teachers are not supposed to make anyone feel bad. The worst you can do is expel a student, which is what they want anyway. I know teachers who quit because they were threatened by students. I seen kids swing at the cop stationed in one school.
6. Public schools have to take anyone who comes in the door. Can’t pick and choose, like charter or private schools can.
7. I’ve never seen DEI in the schools I’ve been in, the subject is radioactive. History classes DO address the slave trade, emancipation, underground railroad, reconstruction, the civil rights era, the union movements and the like as they are part of American history.
I hope this is a little insight into the day to day challenges in our education system. Go to the school board meetings, but LISTEN for the first couple of meetings. Maybe see if you can volunteer in your local school district. Maybe become a teacher or aide?