North Carolina vs. the World: Comparisons of educational inputs and outcomes

by Dr. Terry Stoops

Former Director of the Center for Effective Education, John Locke Foundation

January 30, 2012

Key facts:

In 2008, North Carolina’s elementary schools’ per-student expenditure ranked sixth-highest in the world and secondary schools’ expenditure was fifth-highest.
A majority of the world’s highest-performing nations offered performance pay or diverted a substantial percentage of school expenditures to private schools or did both.
Nations with the highest per-pupil expenditures did no better on measures of student performance than countries that spent less.
Comparisons of student performance show that public school students in North Carolina are struggling to match the performance of our economic competitors throughout the world.
Researchers found that consistently improving school districts had world-class standards, curricula, and assessments; a focus on raising the quality of school personnel; a data system that guides decision-making and instruction; and transparency and clarity in their reform efforts.