Education
The state of the nation can be no stronger than the state of its young people, including the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are instilled by parents, schools, and community organizations. Education prepares young people for their roles as workers and citizens.
Summary of Results
We chose to measure the state of education on three dimensions: eighth-grade test scores, years of education, and percentage of young adults who are either in school or employed. We are improving or remaining stable on all three education measures compared with other countries, and we rank near the top on years of education among adults. However, on two of the three measures—test scores (averaged across three main subjects) and percentage working or in school—we are in the top half of countries. Also, the trend in our test scores displays an inverted-U pattern, improving up to the mid-2010s, then stagnating or declining in more recent years (depending on the subject).
Related Topics
Education is a key factor in making people qualified for work (see the Work & Labor Force section) and improving worker productivity (see the Economy section). The Trust section provides evidence of declining trust in higher education.
Other Measures Considered
The board also considered, but did not include, other measures, including parent ratings of school quality. The public also narrowly rejected that measure (68% support).