Education in America: Sowing the Winds of Our Future

Here in the United States, Labor Day marks the “official” end of summer, although you’d hardly notice. The public pools are closed. The leaves on trees gradually turn their vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges. There’s the faint crunch of the few which have already fallen; soon to be a chorus in just a few more months. The nights are becoming a little cooler and rain is becoming a little more frequent than before. You occasionally have to pause to decide whether you need a jacket, but the warmth summer’s days remains, at least for now.

Labor Day is when states, especially in the South, have their state capstone fairs with venders hawking their wares and rides from practically everywhere. You can sign up to get your blood pressure tested, a mammogram, buy shoe inserts, and buy new gutters all within just a few feet of each other.

 It’s where you’ll find an abundance of friendly (mostly) competition for the best porch whistlers, dancers, cake bakers, quiltmakers, best quality livestock, and where hundreds will come out to watch the well-heeled bid phenomenal amounts of money for best cured ham…all for charity of course (the top ham sold for $10 million dollars this year).  Communities have the first of their local craft and art fairs. But for many Labor Day weekend means just one thing---the end of summer vacation and the start of a new school year which is the subject of this week’s article.  

Education is typically the best barometer to measure a nation’s future potential, after all, the students they graduate are the nation’s economic, technological, political, and cultural future. They are the ones who will develop the newest medicines, the next generation in technology, our new engineers, and will be the makers and enforcers of laws. Many say this represents the new battleground for global domination. So, how does America rank?

When determining where a country ranks, be in education, military spending, medical care, and so forth, they are measure against a bar  or standard. This “standard” is the average of 38 members of  the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (aka the “OECD”). The OCED, which is comprised of developed or “first tier” nations, who work together to promote economic growth and cooperation, sustainability, establish standards, and common policies.

According to OCED, Luxembourg, Norway, and the United States spend the most money per student of any nation (in that order) along with South Korea and Switzerland (especially at the secondary school level).  In terms of percentage of their Gross National Product (“GDP”), top honors go to the Marshall Islands and the nations of Oceania, followed by the U.S., France, and Austria.

U.S. protectorate of American Samoa for instance spends 14.7% of its GDP on education.  Compare that to Cuba, which is one of the few countries with a near 100% literacy rate, which spends about 9.4% of its GDP on education or Sweden, which ranks near to top in nearly every positive measure. It spends approximately 7.6% (the same as Bolivia) while the nation of Batswana spends roughly 8.1%.

As an aside, the World Population Review, which uses a slightly different set of metrics, have some different, albeit similar numbers. According to the WPR, the United States spends 5.4% on education in general while it’s neighbors, Canada and Mexico, spend 4.1% and 4.2% respectively. America’s top economic competitor, China, spends 4% while Russia invests 4.1% on education. Germany spends 4.5% while France does a bit better at 5.4%.

Who then spends the most on the nation’s education? The African nation of Namibia spends a whooping 9% of its GDP on education. Neighboring Botswana invests 8.!%. Bolivia and Sweden both spend 7.6% on education. Iran only spend 2.9% on education, but then again, they only educate half of their population. India invests 4.1% on its future. The tiny nation of Bhutan spends 5.8%. Turkey invests just 2.9% in its future compared to 3.2% for Japan and 5.8 for the mini-nation of Tajikistan.

Pew Research posted a report in April of 2024 which showed that the U.S. was 28^th out the 37 OCED countries. Japan was the highest along with several other Asian countries placing near the top along with Finland. The lowest score went to Columbia. In science, the U.S. place 12^th out of the 37 OCED nations tested. Again, Japan ranked first while Mexico was last.

However, a more recent study from May 2025 conducted by Data Panda, indicates that the Iceland has the best educational system in the world. It’s followed by Germany, Norway, and the United Kingdom. Next in line was Denmark in fifth place. New Zealand and Finland were tied for sixth. Then came Switzerland, Sweden and Australia were tied. The U.S. was 15^th,  just behind the island nation of Palau and ahead of Canada. Hong Kong was 18^th.  Ireland was 22^nd. Singapore and Austria were tied for 30^th while Japan was 35^th.

Another test from 2025, based on OCED scores, showed that in terms of literacy, the U.S. far outperformed the OCED average, 504 to 476. While that’s impressive, drilling a little deeper in the scoring indicated that while 14% of those tested outperformed the average, they were a majority of White students while the balance, mostly minority students, significantly underperformed with strong indications that they may require remedial instruction.

In terms of math and science, which are essential for medical and technological innovation and advancement (part of the “STEM” or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics curriculum), the U.S. seriously underperformed. 465 to the OCED average of 472, with several Asian and European nations far out scoring the American students. Once again, the scores reveled major failures among 15^th years, especially minorities with over 1/3 being underperformers and just 7% representing top scorers.

 Once again, Asia had the top academic performers. It was noted that this may be indictive of a potential decline in America’s leadership in the area of technology and related fields unless immediate and significant improvements in the educational system aren’t made.

In terms of science, the U.S. did a bit better. The U.S. was 16^th of the 37 national participants, scoring 499 against the OCED average of 485. Asia nations, including Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau, made up the majority of those outperforming nations. However, while the U.S. did well, it was due primarily to just 11% of its top scoring students while 22% did poorly.

It's also worth nothing that in terms of the best educated populations, Ireland has the highest number of individuals was a bachelor’s degree based on percentage of population at 54.4%. Switzerland and Singapore are next with 45.6% and 45% respectively. Belgium and the UK complete the top five with 44.1% and 43.5%. The United States is 12^th with 40% and just beating out Australia with 39.8%.  

Of the Middle East, Israel ranks the highest with 39.7%. Argentina, Chile, and Brazil are the top three in South America with 23.7%, 22.9%, and 21.5% respectively. China and India are among the lowest with 6.9% and 14.2%. There were no African countries out of the top 36 nations.

What does all this mean? The United States ranks third globally in what it spends per student, however, we’re toward the middle of the pack when it comes what we spend on education in general based on our GDP. In terms of what we are getting for our money is definitely no bargain. In terms of math scores, are well below average. Our collective science scores are good, but not great. With regards to literacy (reading and comprehension), we are doing well.

The problem, however, is that our achievements overall aren’t evenly distributed. It seems that where we we’re doing well is reliant on primarily private schools and a white student population. Meanwhile, public schools are generally underperforming, especially in schools where the majority student population are comprised of minorities.   

This is particularly a problem in terms of the future as the high achieving White student population continues to shrink and America heads for “majority minority” status. Our current immigration is only making matters worse more quickly with new immigrates coming from countries with a history of underperforming academics. 46% of arriving adults have no education beyond high school---if that! Only around 41% have a bachelor’s degree while few are certified in the trades.

Additionally, those from Latin America and Africa are less likely to possess a high school degree or equivalent whereas those from Europe, Asia, and Oceania are more likely to possess at least a bachelor’s degree. Those entering with a technical or trade certification face stringent hurdles to get their credentials approved which, given the critical shortage of plumbers, electricians, and so forth, needs to change.

Lastly, unless something is done now, such as changing our focus on immigration and focus our school curriculums more on STEM courses and less on “sports” and low/no demand degrees, we are likely to lose our lead in the sciences, medicine, and technology, making increasingly dependent on other nations, particularly in Asia, or to put it another way, we will reap what we’ve sown.

 

Thank you for reading "Another Opinion", the Op/Ed blog page for the "militant middle".  Here at "A/O" we truly value our readers. At A/O we seek the facts as they exist, not partisan talking points.  We hope you find our articles informative and engaging. Comments are welcome, provided they are not vulgar, insulting or demeaning.  Another Opinion is offered without charge and is directed toward all independent and free-thinking individuals. We ask, however, that you "like" us on whatever platform you found us on in order to keep our articles available for free to others. Lastly, in order to keep costs down, we depend on passive marketing, and therefore, depend on our readers to please forward our posts along. Below you will find links to the sources we used in writing this article. Thank you. 

 

OCED

WPR: Education Spending By Country 2025

Data Panda: Education Rankings By Country

U.S. Education Rankings: Global Comparison Performance

 

Charted: The World’s Educated Countries

 

 

 

The Forgiven and the Damned: Biden's Student Debt Forgiveness Program and Taxpayers

President Biden caused quite a stir recently, fulfilling a long standing promise to end student debt. As typical with many of Biden's proposal, it appears he didn't think this one through particularly well. The end result will be a much needed, albeit limited financial relief for the estimated 48 million current and former students with $1.75 trillion dollars owned.

To properly understand Biden's proposal, it's important that we first understand the term Biden uses. So, to begin with, let's get our terms correct.  Instead of calling Biden's proposal "debt forgiveness", the more appropriate term we should use is "debt transfer", which is a more accurate description of what it really is. But before we get into the specifics of Biden's "debt transfer" plan, let's take a look at student debt in general.

Loan debt has been the bane of students for decades. Some cite it as the price we pay for higher education. Others call it nothing more than a money generating scheme with naive and often desperate young adults (and their parents) as the "pigeons" to use the old carnie term for unaware victims of con games. After all, since at least the 1980's, we've been told that the only way to succeed is to go to college.

Approximately 45.4 million current and past student have some form of federal loan debt, of which 4.7% was already 90 days in arrears just in the first quarter of 2022. The average monthly payment is about $300, with most loans require the borrower to pay 10% - 20% of their gross income, based on how much they're earn.

 55% of graduates with a four year bachelor degree owe, on average, just under $30,000 in student debt regardless of whether they attended a private nonprofit or public college or university. 68% of those graduating a private nonprofit college or university has a debt of $31,450 or more. 66% of those graduating from a public institution owed $26,900. 83% of those graduating from a for-profit college or university with a four year degree had a debt of just under $40,000.

Between 2020 and 2021, students and/or their parents borrowed near $96 billion dollars to cover the cost of education with just 13% of that being private and/or non-federally backed loans. Direct loans amounted to $1.38 trillion dollars shared by 37.2 borrowers. FFEL Loans were the largest, with $225 billion loaned out to a little under ten thousand applicants. Perkins Loans, totally $4.2 billion dollars,  went to 1.5 million individuals. The grand total was $1.61 trillion dollars loaned to 43.4 million unique applicants!

The above numbers represent just a snapshot of the debt crisis. It doesn't include other forms on loans such as Stafford, Grad PLUS, or money borrowed on insurance plans, 401K and other retirement plans, home mortgages, credit cards, and so forth, which represents tens of billions in principal, interest, fees, and penalties.  It's obvious that the student debt situation is out of hand. Some would even say it's critical, and you would find few who disagree. However, before we look at Biden's plan, let's consider a few facts about higher education.

First and perhaps more importantly, not every job needs someone with as BA or BS degree. In decades past, most graduates of high school were adequately equipped academically for the majority of jobs. However, starting the mid 1970's, the quality of high school education took a tremendous nosedive. Students were being graduated who had a 6th or 7th grade math ability or read at an 8th grade level. Their knowledge of grammar and spelling was horrendous, while their grasp of history, ethics, the sciences, or literature were virtually non-existent.

Beginning in primary school, discipline all but vanished along with parent participation. At the same time, a rise in poverty among students meant more kids were showing up hungry. As a result, schools turned increasingly into publicly funded daycares. Critical thinking skills were essentially out the window as the focus turned more on sports to attract and keep students than on academics.

As a result, employers had to resort to remedial education for many of their new hires and the demand for college education began just to have the same intellectual level of an applicant they had just 10 or 20 years earlier. Along with this change, universities and employers began downplaying the need for the trades; those educated to do jobs which required physical and mental skills such as electricians, plumbers, carpenters, or mechanics.

Instead, savvy marketing drew new high school graduates to the higher priced colleges with promises of riches in four or six or eight "short years" and away from the less expensive and shorter trade schools. Thus began the rise of sustained student debt as tuition continuously rose and students were "fee" to financial death.

By way of a brief comparison, the cost of a college education is highest in the Northeast and West. It's cheaper in the South, Midwest, and Plains states. The average cost of a four year public college for in-state students is about $21,035 per year (or $84,140 for the full four years plus assorted fees). For a in-state student attending a private four year college, it's about $32,768 (you can roughly double that if you're either a out-of-state student or add another 1/3 if you're going to a for profit college).

If you attend a trade school, the average is about $33,000...for the entire program! Of course, depending on where and what degree, tuition can run $3,800 to $15,000 per year (most programs are two years or less, and in some cases, you can start earning in six to eight months). The figures used here for both college and trade are averages as of 2022. Tuition always changes, and usually upward.

 College admissions and academic administrators also starting not just encouraging students to major in degrees with little or no employment demand, they also started creating new degrees with little real world value (such as gender or race studies). Hey, all to keep the money flowing! Meanwhile, for many colleges, the focus turned from critical thinking skills (the hallmark of higher education) to even greater revenue generating sports programs, leaving some academic departments limping along.

President Biden's "debt transfer" proposal is said to "wipe out entirely" the debt of approximately 1/3 of those with federal loan debt. That's about 16 million individuals. The program includes a $10,000 dollar debt "forgiveness" (specifically, the federal government---meaning taxpayers---will pick up the tab).

This will apply to those earning $120,000 dollars or less (or a combined household income of $250,000). In addition, the federal government will "forgive" up to $20,000 in Pell Grants. Total costs for taxpayers? About $300 billion dollars. Of course, this assumes Biden's "debt transfer" proposal gets past all the anticipated legal challenges.  

By the way, don't expect any "thank you" cards from Millennials or Gen Z's. They have a reputation of self-entitlement. I bet they're going to be surprised to learn that once any type of government welfare goes into effect, it rarely if ever ends, so they expect to be paying off someone else's debt down the road! How's that for a bite in the butt of the two "I love Socialism" generations Capitalist style? 

Anyway, assuming that this portion of the Biden plan survives all the legal challenges, the president's staff claim that about 90% of those earning $75,000 a year or less (which is most Americans) will be the prime beneficiaries. The plan also includes changes in the federally based "Income Driven Repayment System" (IDR).  

Under the IDR, a student's monthly loan repayments is adjusted based on their income after graduating. Students are currently required to pay between 10% and 20% of their annual income for the first 20 years, after which the balance is "forgiven" (that is, picked up by taxpayers). According to one report, between 2010 and 2020, enrollment in the IDR jumped from roughly 10% of eligible applicants to 32%.

With Biden's plan, participants will now have to pay just 5% any undergraduate debt (and up to 10% on graduate or professional school debt such as law or medical school). This covers a repayment plan over 10 to 20 years, depending on debt size and annual income level. The proposal will also include a change in the amount of income not currently covered.

Under the current plan, IDR doesn't include repayment on income up to 150% above the poverty level (based on family size, etc). So if your income is, let's say 155% above the poverty line, your payments would be based on that 5% under the current plan and everything 150% or under is exempt.  

The new plan will adjust that up to 250% over the poverty line, meaning the minimum repayment amount is based on less income, thus significantly lowering the size of the amount due.  It also removes any accrued interest.

As a result, it encourages individuals to borrow as much as possible rather what they need. I see a lot of parties and beer runs in the near future. But fear not! The new IDR changes also encourage colleges to raise tuition since a greater percentage of debt is now being "forgiven"...and picked up by you and me via the government. So, taxpayers get all the debt of a college education but without all those pesky term papers and dust collecting degrees. 

Biden, however, suggested that individuals qualifying under the new IDR wouldn't abuse the opportunity to borrow more money with no interest, have lower monthly payments, and earlier debt termination. Instead, they would use the money saved on the loan payments to invest or spend back into the economy. They could even double up on payments if they wanted too. He also downplayed the likelihood that universities would significantly raise tuition as well.  Yeah...right Joe. Wink. Wink.

As another aside, under Biden's plan, there also could be an unintended consequence---money not paid back could be taxable at the state level  According to the Tax Foundation, there are 13 states which could treat any debt "forgiven" $10,000 or over as earned income. This includes Kentucky (naturally), Arkansas, Wisconsin, Virginia and West Virginia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, South Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts.

The Tax Foundation estimates that amount of tax to be paid could range from $300 up to $1000 or more.  To stick the knife in a little deeper, that figure could double if the debt originated from a Pell Grant and is at least $20,000 is "forgiven". So, what's the total damage of Biden's plan to taxpayers?

Well, according to the University of Pennsylvania's famed Wharton's Business School of Business (and President Donald Trump's old alma mater), taxpayers could end up stuck with a final bill of somewhere between $650 billion to $1 trillion dollars, thus proving again the old adage that no good deed goes unpunished. Not even ones designed to improve approval ratings and reelect Democrats in November. 

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