Here’s what the billions of tax dollars we sent to government schools (read: public schools) have been buying in the way of education for parents.

Michael Hartney and Corey DeAngelis report, "According to the latest NAEP data, current learning losses continue to extend far and wide. On average, public-school students lost historic ground in math (10 points) and reading (6 points) since before the pandemic. Research just published in one of nation’s oldest and most–respected economics journals echo the take home here: the more time students spent outside the classroom, the less they learned."

And when politicians followed the left’s script to the letter — by sending even more money — the educrats did what they always do.

"These troubling results come years after politicians dumped hundreds of billions of dollars in additional federal funding into the school system.

"Throwing more money at the problem didn’t help. Part of the reason, as Georgetown University researchers recently found, is that 'investments in social–emotional learning are more popular [with public schools] than expanded learning time.'

"And they found that 'despite warnings from the feds against taking on new construction or extensive renovations, some 20% of [the money] has been invested in facilitie. . . . [doing little to resolve] gaps in learning.'"

Translation for parents: "social-emotional learning" can’t be tested.

It’s like UFOs, you just have to believe.

Math and reading on the other hand can be tested and government schools are failing and will continue to fail.

Government schools are run by educrat ideologues who put a priority on education fads, indoctrination, grooming and turning out more leftists.

Your kid might be ignorant, but he will be indoctrinated.

Compare government school results to the numbers from Catholic schools.

"America’s Catholic schools defied these sobering trends. Students attending parochial schools experienced no meaningful decline in either subject on the latest NAEP. Although over twice as many private school educators (17 percent) were in the COVID-vulnerable 60-or-older category, Catholic schools stayed open for their students. …

"The typical parochial school starts its learning day earlier, focuses on the basics, and most of all were much more likely to encourage and provide in-person learning throughout the pandemic."

And all without devoting a month to our nation’s just concluded PRIDE Ramadan.

If you care about your children’s future get them off this treadmill to leftism.

Save them from government schools that are expensive and occasionally violent daycare with football teams.

Eight Red States are making it easy for parents to take control of their children’s education and not be charged twice for the privilege. Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, Utah and West Virginia have all passed school choice laws.

As Real Clear Investigations explains, "Eight states have approved 'universal' or near-universal school choice laws since 2021.

"They open the door completely to school choice by making all students, including those already in private schools and from wealthy families, eligible for about $7,000 to $10,000 in state funding each year for their education.

"What’s more, most of these states have also enacted education savings accounts, or ESAs.

"They give families much more freedom than traditional tuition vouchers, depositing state funds into private accounts to spend on virtually anything related to learning, from homeschooling and online classes to therapy and supplies."

Naturally, nanny state critics don’t think parents who do the research to buy houses, cars, find doctors and refuse the clot shot are smart enough to choose their children’s schools.

Relying on the word of the real estate agent regarding schools was fine as long as the choice was between government schools.

"Universal choice is a great leap into the unknown," says University of Arkansas Prof. Patrick Wolf.

"Parents are experts on their child's needs, but parents are not experts on private educational providers. They need accurate and complete information about them."

And we predict the same free market that rates cars, doctors, colleges, hospitals and fantasy football players will soon have plenty of information for parents looking to escape government schools.

There is simply no excuse for parents in those eight states to left inertia to continue to make their children’s education choices.

You may have been prevented from home schooling by the demands of your career.

That same career won’t prevent you from taking money from the state to expand your child’s educational horizons at a private or parochial school.

Start shopping for a school the same way you shop for a car.

Visit the campus, talk to the front office, attend a parent’s meeting to meet current customers, do some online research for test scores and otherwise kick the tires.

Start now.

It’s easier to get a first grader to change schools than it is a high schooler. 

The opportunity is right there before you.

Seize it now!

(A related article may be found here.)

Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Michael is an in-demand speaker with Premiere speaker's bureau. Read Michael Reagan's Reports — More Here.

Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!)" Read Michael Shannon's Reports — More Here.