Current Challenges in the US Public Education System Explained

Over 80% of public school teachers say the K-12 education system in the United States has gotten worse in the last five years. Furthermore, over half of educators don't expect to see improvements in the next five years, with only 5% saying that things will get better.

Unfortunately, it's not hard to see why many school teachers are discouraged. There are very real flaws in education system politics, funding, and more. This is clearly evidenced by the fact that average reading scores declined by three points from 2019 to 2022 and then declined further by another two points from 2022 to 2024. Eighth grade math scores, which dropped by eight points in 2022, haven't budged. U.S. history and civics scores have also declined since 2020.

What Challenges Does the US Public Education System Face?

Teacher Shortages

Education Resources Strategy (ERS) recently analyzed teacher turnover trends in nine large school districts. It found that 26% of teachers left their school or teaching role in the 2021-2022 school year and an additional 23% of teachers left their school or teaching role during the 2022-2023 school year. Furthermore, one in three teachers say they are likely to leave the education system in the next two years.

School districts throughout the United States are feeling the pain as 86% report struggles with filling open positions and 60% note they have a hard time finding substitute teachers. The shortage is especially acute for schools searching for qualified ESL, STEM, and special education teachers. About 40% of schools report that they have hired underqualified educators, 30% say they have increased class sizes, while 25% of schools have cut course offerings, especially in specialized subjects.

Inequities in the Education System

Public schools in poor and rural communities aren't the only schools that struggle to provide public school students with a quality education. However, they are struggling far more than schools in middle-class or affluent districts. Schools serving low-income families lost nearly 30% of their teachers between October 2022 and October 2023, while schools in more affluent areas lost only 19% of their teachers during this same time period. Recent estimates show that schools in low-income areas receive about $1,000 less per student than schools in high-income areas. The funding disparity is even more shocking when comparing students in predominantly white districts with school districts that serve a high percentage of African American, Native American and Latino students, as districts with mostly minority students receive about $1,800 less per student than schools in predominantly white neighborhoods.

Persistent resource disparities in low-income districts are reflected in national test score gaps, underscoring the need for equity-driven interventions. The gap between the lowest-performing students and the highest-performing ones has risen over the last decade to the point that there is now a one hundred point difference between learners in the two categories. Private school students score better in nearly all subjects than public school students. The difference is especially pronounced on the 2022 NAEP reading tests, which showed a 20-point difference between private school learners and public education students. Students from the lowest income brackets face significant systemic barriers, which are reflected in disproportionate access to test prep and academic support.

Mental Health Crisis

The mental health problem in public schools poses serious challenges for elementary school, secondary school, and high school students throughout the nation. About 10% of children ages 3 to 17 have anxiety, while 7% have one or more diagnosed behavior disorders. Forty percent of high school students report experiencing persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness, 17% report symptoms of depression and 20% say they have seriously considered suicide.

Violence is on the rise as well, and many teachers report verbal and/or physical harassment, not just from public school students but also the students' parents. Sadly, educators and children alike often fail to get the mental health help they need due to the shortage of qualified counselors. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommends that school districts hire at least one counselor for every 250 students, but there is currently only one counselor for every 444 students.

The lack of mental health help impacts every aspect of the public education system. Teacher retention rates drop as stressed, burned-out educators leave the system and advise those who are considering a career in education to pick a different industry. Student learning dips as class sizes increase. Average science, reading, and math scores drop, further demoralizing students and their teachers. Further stress and anxiety ensue, more teachers leave, and the public education system is forced to make cuts that make it harder for learners to get a quality education.

What Are the Solutions?

There is no shortage of proposed solutions to the challenges listed above. Public education experts, local and federal lawmakers, the Department of Education, and others have proposed changes, such as raising teacher salaries, providing additional funding for public schools in rural communities and low-income neighborhoods, changing teaching methods and/or class curriculum to improve test scores, or even promoting school choice and offering families vouchers so they can put their children in a private school. Naturally, there is a lot of debate about which (if any) of these measures would work, how well they would work, and how they should be enacted.

However, this doesn't mean public school districts can't change things for the better. Many district administrators and principals have been able to improve student outcomes by providing targeted assistance to children with poor test scores, monitoring class progress to see if curriculum changes are needed to improve student comprehension, and connecting learners with virtual teachers who can cover topics ranging from English Language Arts to advanced trigonometry.

Why Work with Proximity Learning?

Proximity Learning is an industry leader in the field of virtual education. Our classes are livestreamed to allow students to interact in real time with the teacher and fellow learners. Instruction takes place in public school classrooms, on your school's bell schedule. We cover not just core subjects for K-12 students but also important electives such as AP test prep, World Languages, PE, Health, and Music. This ensures that children not only learn what they need to graduate with a high school diploma but are also prepared for higher education opportunities. Furthermore, we offer special education classes, SPED management, and tutoring to focus on students who need specialized assistance with core subjects or standardized testing.

If you're looking for certified teachers, tried and proven teaching methods, improved test scores, and increased graduation rates, give us a call. We'll work with you to start the onboarding process so your learners and educators can get the top-tier help they need and deserve.

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