The Defense Department might have the best schools in the United States. And here’s why.
It has a valid policy prescription for improving the outcome of America’s schools.
Why are they so effective?
They pay their teachers a lot, allowing them to employ good teachers, and people stay in the profession. That’s important.
Why else are teachers staying in the profession?
Their classrooms are fully supplied. They don’t have to go out and buy school supplies for children because they’re all paid for.
Every one of those children is in housing guaranteed by the United States government.
Every single one of them has food that the United States government guarantees.
Each of these children has at least one parent with full-time employment.
In the military, they can experience one of the most diverse communities. They can experience a microcosm of a social democratic state, which does work by the way.
There Is No Magic Formula
It’s not some magical curriculum or technique. There is nothing magical about it.
These children aren’t dealing with the stress of poverty and segregation.
If we want high-performing schools, we must fund them appropriately and ensure that children don’t live in poverty. We know how to do this. We have the money.
And we as a society will guarantee this, provided we are willing to.
We could say we will not allow any child in this nation to be hungry, homeless, or have to deal with the stresses of those things. We could say that.
And then we could provide housing. We could provide food, and we pay our teachers a decent salary in every part of the country.
We could easily do all of this in the United States of America, so all of America could have the best schools.