Test scores are just the tip of
the iceberg.
That is the finding of a recent
report by a partnership that included the Horace Mann League of the U.S.A., and
the National Superintendents Roundtable.
The researchers studied the
education systems of nine prominent nations.
They found six areas that proved
essential for student success: economic equity, social stress, support for
young families, support for schools, student outcomes, and system outcomes.
Among the countries studied —
Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the
United States — we scored very low on economic equity and social stress.
The study also found that U.S.
teachers work significantly longer hours per year than in any of those other
nations.
The U.S. scored the highest of
all the countries in terms of system outcomes:
years of education completed, possession of secondary and bachelor’s
degrees, and the global share of high-achieving science students.
To improve education more
effectively, the study demonstrated, it’s important to pay attention to what’s
going on below the waterline in areas like economic equity, social stress,
overall support for schools, and support for young families.
