K-12 Students and Younger
Almost seems like a riddle
Hmmm!
The U.S. public K–12 system, with its remarkable teachers, is arguably the best in the world—
and yet, 50% of its graduating students lack basic proficiency in reading, writing, and math (using the 50% noted on the home page of this explainer site).
Not just voted the best—the U.S. K–12 system may be the envy of the world.
In an annual poll, the U.S. K-12 education system is voted the best in the world—a unanimous vote by the 30 other industrialized nations.
This sentiment is echoed by parents and grandparents worldwide, many of whom—passports in hand—hope to have their children educated in the United States.
Clearly, people around the globe view U.S. education, including its foundational public K-12 system, as a windfall opportunity.
Every young person in the U.S. should have this opportunity. Embrace it or shun it, it's a "windfall."
And yet, 50% of all graduating U.S. public K–12 students fail to reach minimum NAEP proficiency in reading, writing, math, or any other subject tested.
Within that 50% lies a trove of untapped student talent and potential—all of it valuable, and much of it no less promising than what’s found in the top half. (Consider the implications of significantly expanding the nation’s educated, trainable workforce—driving up the national capitalization rate (cap rate), all without placing new K–12 pedagogical demands on teachers, or new layers of meetings, training, and paperwork.)
A societal good—free access
The HSe4Metrics platform will not generate revenue from families, students, or community members. Instead, a national sponsor is needed to underwrite the platform’s ongoing operating costs.
That sponsor could be a federal agency (click to see Federal Agencies) or a Fortune 500 company such as Procter & Gamble. To help secure such sponsorship, members of the public are encouraged to join the search—for example, by contacting a federal agency or a political leader.
If no federal agency steps forward, a professional presentation team—potentially including Washington lobbyists and a law firm—may be temporarily retained. The cost would be supported through a modest $5 fundraising campaign. Once retained, the presentation team would approach federal agencies.
In sum, public K–12 education in the U.S. is a world-class windfall—and it’s free!
…but flip a coin:
Today, the odds that a K–12 student will reach even minimum NAEP proficiency in reading, writing, and math are just 50–50.
Heads.
- Nealy half of all high school graduates can read, write, and do math at some level of NAEP proficiency.
- Every K-12-aged young person deserves the same.
- It’s fundamental.
Tails.
Roughly half of all U.S. K–12 students cannot read, write, or do math at even the most basic level of NAEP proficiency.
Untold quality-of-life hardships and socioeconomic disadvantage awaits them and their future families.
