"Investing" in Education??

By James Landers of Saint Petersburg, Florida. James is a serial Entrepreneur responsible for multiple successful ventures and is the co-founder of The Principle Institute. Education and the enlightenment, creativity and growth that comes from it are undoubtedly a good thing. However, government spending does necessarily bring us the benefit desire. Consider this....The average, inflation-adjusted, "investment" per student(K -12) in the US was $5393 in 1970. By 2004, this figure that exploded to $11,470. Where are the measurable gains in performance? During those same years, math results on the NAEP(National Assessment of Educational Progress) rose a ridiculous 1% while reading scores remained flat. Simply put, the money did not produce results. The results in higher ed are even worse. 45% of people holding a bachelor's degree were proficient readers in 1992 according to the NAAL. By 2003, that figure dropped to 31%. The discouraging results do not contain themselves to reading. No positive improvement was shown in quantitative proficiency. Where did the money go?? Have you visited your local community college and/or 4-year college lately? Beside the Class A classrooms and dormitories sprouting up everywhere, the administrative payrolls have exploded. Universities continue to build knowing that the politicians will continue to fund. Is this the right approach? If it is, we should not struggle to confer the economic benefits from our taxpayer investment. Serious discussion needs to be put on the table debating the value of the average bachelors degree. Why do we continue to devalue the role of trade schools?? A change must come rooted in our need to remain competitive. Politicians will not provide the answer and we should stop asking them for answers. The not stop, "caring contest" will require they spend money to show they care, regardless of the return on investment. As citizens, we all want what is best for our children and our communities. Pouring money into diploma mills is wasteful and harmful to our country.