Last month, education reporter Linda Jacobson was primarily inspired by: registration data Provided by market research firm Burbio, Eye-popping analysis Reported on how public school district schools are working to attract and retain students after elected officials halted in-person instruction in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Combined with the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 state population data Targeted to specific age groups and the National Education Association (NEA) Teachers Union. 2020-21 Membership Number Even after COVID-19 education restrictions are lifted across the country, K-12 parents continue to abandon states where they still have big worker-led government education, according to Jacobson’s analysis. It is said that there is (Related: Kevin Mooney: This Democratic governor may ignore the teachers’ union and pass school selection)
Overall, the most recent year trends in enrollment data for the 41 states that have already published enrollments for the 2022-23 school year show a strong negative relationship between union density in the education workforce and enrollment growth. It shows that there is a correlation of
For example, in 2021, kindergarten through 12 years old (5 ~ 17 years old) total population decreases. New Hampshire) had 14 million. On the other hand, the total population of kindergarten to 12-year-olds in the nine states with the highest enrollment rates is To increase After 2021-22 (Texas, Florida, North Dakota, South Carolina, Iowa, Montana, Virginia, Idaho, North Carolina) it was 13.9 million, or about the same.
Despite having just about 14 million school-age populations in the two state groups, the states with the highest NEA teacher union membership: markedly decreased The number of registered students is almost three times Total number of Member States in Member States Maximum increase Student Enrollment: 974,000 vs. 328,000 Moreover, the pattern of stepping votes in which parents oppose public schools with strong unions in favor of schools with relatively weak union leaders is nothing new.
it continues many yearshave become. even more pronounced Lockdown due to the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19).
If we make the very reasonable assumption that parents know what is best for their children and that they care deeply, the logical conclusion to be drawn from the data cited above is that teachers and other It means that there is something seriously wrong with the quality of education in the school where the educator is. Subject to trade union monopoly bargaining.
a Breakthrough 2018 Analysis The math, reading and science results of the State National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) conducted by University of Texas economist Stan Liebowitz and his research partner Matthew Kelly show that children from non-unionized school districts It confirms that the parents who are trying to kick them out are likely providing those educations. with a better future.
Among the series of variables that Leibovitz and Kelly studied that could affect student performance, such as the number of students per teacher and the amount spent per student, was “strength of union” (union officers (an indicator derived from how extensive the legal prerogatives and political powers of the . . . It has a real and statistically negative relationship with student performance. “
But Randy Weingarten, president of the giant American Teachers Union (AFT/AFL-CIO), the second largest of the National Teachers Unions after the NEA, said despite the national pattern of parental footing, Liebowitz and It claims that it believes Mr. Kelly is wrong. – Voting both before and after their research was published shows they are on point.
Weingarten and a handful of Aligned with organized workers researcher she quotes in a book Apology for monopoly trade unionism in public education she recently Daily Beast If unionizing teachers and other school personnel actually improves student performance, American parents have long tended to move their children from unionized school districts to non-unionized ones. does not even try to explain why is much higher. vice versa.
Perhaps the actual answer given by Weingarten and his associates is simple. Parents can’t be trusted to know what’s best for their children, even if their views on the issue are backed up by the work of competent academics like Stan Leibovitz. and Matthew Kelly.
If Weingarten thinks so, he should say so.
Mr. Greer is a Senior Fellow at the National Institute of Labor Relations.
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