The Pentagon runs the top performing school system in the U.S.
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The American schools achieving the best results for kids are run by the Pentagon.
The big picture: Last year, these schools' students outperformed every other American distract in reading and math, the New York Times' Sarah Mervosh writes.
- Defense Department-run schools operate all across U.S. domestic and foreign military bases and teach 66,000 students — larger than Boston Public Schools.
By the numbers: 55% of Defense Department eighth graders were proficient in reading in 2022, compared with the national average of 29%. 41% were proficient in math, compared with the national average of 26%.
- These schools also see narrower achievement gaps between white students and Black and Hispanic students than America’s public schools.
There are a few big reasons why the Pentagon’s schools are so successful, Mervosh notes.
- They are well-funded, with well-stocked classrooms, including books and art supplies. Many public school teachers have to pay out-of-pocket for supplies.
- They're integrated. Unlike Pentagon schools, public schools are often divided along socio-economic and racial lines with unequal funding, which widens achievement gaps along both racial and economic lines. There's a $23 billion funding gap between districts serving mostly white students and districts serving mostly students of color.
- Their teachers are well paid. The Pentagon's budget allows schools to spend more money per student and pay teachers more, which helps retain teachers, The Times reports.
- Students' homes are stable. With at least one parent working for the military, families get access to housing and health care on the base. When parents and kids aren't worried about basic needs being met, it's easier for students to focus on learning.
The bottom line: Pentagon schools have their flaws like all schools, but their success demonstrates the kinds of changes that might help students in public schools succeed.
