The misery of unemployment in the United States has a root cause: Our education system has failed us, making our citizens less competitive in the global economy.
The recent “great recession” caused layoffs in companies, state and county governments and non-profit organizations 
212; but a rift is clear. Those with college degrees or higher show 4.8 percent unemployment, with high school degrees, 10.2 percent, and those who haven’t graduated high school, 15.0 percent.
Investment sage Warren Buffett once said, “When the tide goes out, that’s when you see the naked swimmers.” Those with less education are the first to be laid off and last to be rehired. College graduates, however, see almost full employment now — and earn far more. Advanced education is the surest way to be employed and stay ahead.
Other countries aren’t waiting for us. The recent Program for International Student Assessment tests, given to 15-year-olds in 65 nations, find our students falling farther behind those of most other leading countries. Many developed nations, including Japan and Germany, keep raising their game. Meanwhile, fast-developing countries, including China, India and Brazil, have made huge strides in education.
Some day there will be another recession, and unemployment could grow much worse if we fail to improve U.S. education. Fixing it, however, requires almost a complete overhaul, covering four key categories: structure, funding, effectiveness and choice.
The structure begins with our antiquated school schedule. Our national education system was created a century ago to train children living on farms to qualify for jobs created by the Industrial Revolution. In grades 1-12 we still let our students out in summer as if to work the fields, while few actually live on farms and child labor has long been illegal.
We now live in an age where information and technologies are the primary products sold by the United States and Europe. As in other advanced countries, our schools should have short recesses in a full-calendar year, with teaching a full-time occupation accompanied by commensurate pay.
Funding, meanwhile, should be increased by at least 50 percent nationwide. Quality education requires smaller class sizes, talented, motivated teachers and affordable access to colleges and universities. Without funding increases we are kidding ourselves, as good education is never free. This will require a boost in federal spending and broad coordination with the states. Leading not just by mandate, our national government must give strong incentives for states to overhaul their tax systems in order to qualify for matching federal money.
The effectiveness of U.S. schools must be modernized to reflect recent brain and learning research. It is now clear that students think better with good nutrition, adequate sleep and — most importantly — exercise throughout the day. Young brains simply turn off if they are not active and healthy. We need classrooms that keep kids awake and tuned in.
We also know from the recent PISA results that the best performing schools provide high-quality education to all children. Those schools that ‘track’ students, separating out poorer, weaker or disruptive pupils, have lower combined test scores and bigger achievement gaps. Better results happen when schools educate a diverse population of students and maintain high levels of challenge and rigor.
The youngest minds are the most adaptable. Students who attended pre-school score higher on tests, even after 10 years. We need to concentrate some of the best teacher talent towards the youngest students, instead of having those with doctorates teach graduate students while the toddlers learn from the least skilled. Facilitating language, creativity and learning skills at early ages is the way to set good foundations.
Choice also matters, but perhaps not in the way we once thought. Private schools do no better at educating, once family wealth is considered. However, students at schools that have choice over curriculum, finances, teaching and assessment systems score higher on standard tests. Schools perform better given choices in how to best deliver for their students.
All of the recent economic stimulus and policies aimed at reducing unemployment will be wasted unless we radically improve our education system, fund it properly and make it competitive in the modern world. Not only employment but our children’s futures and the nation’s prosperity are at stake, and every citizen has a vested interest. It is time for a national commitment to improve education.
John S. Adams is a certified financial planner and investment manager. He lives on Bainbridge Island.
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