Education and opportunity

Oct 10

Schools and equal opportunity

• Ideal of equal opportunity • Differences in Educational Attainment

High school grads: 80% (Texas) to 92% (Wyoming)College grads: 17% (WV) to 38% (Mass.)Grad degree: 6% (Ark.) to 16% (Mass.)

International Comparison (Math)

Singapore 573Japan 536Switzerland 531Finland 519UK 494US 481Greece 453Mexico 413

Connecticut vs Nation

Connecticut• Spending per pupil: $13,659• 4th Math: 45%• 4th Reading: 41%• 8th Math: 35%• 8th Reading: 37%

• HS graduation rate: 82%

United States$9,68339%33%32%31%

74%

What affects academic performance?

• Spending on schools?– Attempts to equalize

• Family background• Teacher/Administrator “Quality”

• Local autonomy vs. equal opportunity

Examples of variation (CT)Spending (000s) “Proficient”

Writing (8th)Sharon 25.9 95%Hartford 21.7 67%New Haven 18.9 70%Wilton 17.3 98%Hamden 16.2 85%Bridgeport 13.9 63%Brooklyn 13.2 93%Danbury 12.7 84%