Study Reveals No Link Between Education Spending and Student Performance
Washington – Money talks, but it seems it doesn’t always convey the right message.
A recent study examining over 12,000 school districts in the U.S. suggests that more spending in education doesn’t necessarily translate to better results on standardized tests. Shockingly, researchers discovered a slight negative correlation between salaries related to education and student performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test.
For instance, in Maine, while education salaries increased by 19% from 2019 to 2023, NAEP scores took a dive. Meanwhile, in Maryland, despite a $30 billion investment over ten years, the state’s performance on the NAEP test has dropped by eight ranks since 2019.
Interestingly, Massachusetts is an exception, boasting the highest NAEP scores nationwide in both 2019 and 2024, even with only a 4% salary increase in the same period.
Parents in America deserve to know that merely adding more taxes to education budgets doesn’t guarantee improved performance for their children; in fact, it might even be correlated with worse results.
This study specifically looked at salary data for teachers, administrators, and other staff members between 2019 and 2023, correlating this information with NAEP performance.
Notably, it didn’t separate salary increases for school administrators from those for teachers, which some believe is an essential distinction.
The research highlighted that salaries for various educational positions in 2023 ranged from $549,538 to $867,150, with Texas safety personnel receiving the highest pay.
According to economist Eric Hanushek, who wasn’t part of the study but has researched similar issues, “Teachers make up about 55-60% of the total budget, and the percentage for administrators is increasing.” He wasn’t surprised by the findings.
Hanushek pointed out that there’s a significant difference between universally increasing salaries and selectively rewarding standout teachers. He noted that districts focused on evaluating teacher performance have seen improvements in student outcomes.
Specifically, he mentioned three large districts—Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Houston—that have worked diligently to incentivize high-performing teachers. These districts are outperforming others that don’t prioritize effective teaching.
However, some critics argue this merit-based approach to teacher salaries isn’t effective, as student performance can depend on various factors outside educators’ control.
Tim Cavey, a Canadian educator and YouTuber, shared a perspective on LinkedIn earlier this year, suggesting that a teacher’s livelihood is intrinsically tied to their students’ performances. “Students who excel represent higher wages and job security, while struggling students can jeopardize that,” he explained.
One uncertain factor in this discourse is the impact of Covid-19, which has disrupted in-person education for extended periods.
