Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Jersey Jazzman: Christie's Lying Education Statistics - Part III

Jersey Jazzman: Christie's Lying Education Statistics - Part III

Christie's Lying Education Statistics - Part III

Let's continue looking at Chris Christie's misleading use of statistics to justify his corporate education reform plan:


Statewide Per Pupil Spending Is The Highest In The Nation At $17,620.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, New Jersey spent an average of $17,620 per pupil for 2008-2009, the latest available data.
Sigh. Look, anybody with half a brain knows you MUST correct for regional differences in the cost-of-living.

But that's only one of the reasons ranking state spending is difficult:
Every year, through many different sources, state politicians and political activists make great waves over which state spends more on public education, and which spends less. Who’s in first place? Who’s in last? Those from differing perspectives have different motives.