Education is what drives society. It is what determines the future of the next generation. In 2021, the annual Best Countries Report, conducted by U.S. News & World Report, BAV Group, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, surveyed thousands of people across 78 countries. Then, they ranked those countries based on those countries and their responses. They used these three equally weighted attributes: a well-developed public education system, would a person considers attending university there, and does the country provide top-quality education. The United States was ranked number one for having the best education system around the world in 2021.

In the fall of 2018, the United States spent around $15,621 per student enrolled in elementary and secondary schools. That totals around $800 billion in expenditures for education. The U.S. spends more per student than any other developed country. They spend 10% more than the United Kingdom and 28% more than France.  

However, the United States continues to rank lower and lower every year by international standards. According to a Business Insider report in 2018, the U.S. ranked 38th in math scores and 24th in science. This means that the United States has the best education system in the world, but we have scores that contradict that. It is almost humorous. 

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, teachers in the U.S. spend between 1,050 and 1,100 hours a year teaching, much more than in almost every other country. Teachers in the United States spend more time teaching, but students continue to have lower test scores every year. 

If the United States has the best education system, why don’t our students benefit from it?

Perhaps, it is the way standardized tests are set up. Standardized tests are what determine a country’s educational standing around the world. The U.S. is falling short of that. However, having the best education system and ranking low in scores, means that our education is not fit for the rigorous and time-consuming test.

Teachers are determined by their student’s level of achievement on these tests. If we as a country have a need to meet specific test standards, then teachers will no longer teach what we need. They will teach how to get an A on a test. Then, teaching has no meaning.

We need to stop relying on the harsh tests that are forced on us and focus on our education.