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The Future of Public Education in America

In 2025, the landscape of public education in America stands at a crossroads. Changes in demographics, funding, policy, technology and public sentiment are reshaping what it means for students, parents and educators to engage with the public school system. As we chart the future of public education in America, understanding where we are now—and where we might go—is essential for informed decision-making.

Current Snapshot: Strengths and Stresses

Enrollment and staffing

For the 2025 school year, about 54.1 million K-12 students are enrolled in public schools across the United States.Meanwhile, the workforce comprises approximately 5.7 million teachers and nearly 10 million staff members, including support personnel.
Despite this scale, the sector is dealing with persistent challenges: a recent survey from RAND Corporation shows that in the 2024-25 academic year, 30 percent or more of students in many urban districts missed 10 percent or more of school days (the definition of chronic absenteeism). These figures point to a core truth: while public education serves tens of millions of students, the system is under strain.

Funding and expenditure

Public school funding remains a major focal point. According to data compiled by EducationData.org, per-pupil spending in many states ranges from about US $12,000 up to more than $30,000 in high-cost regions. On a national scale, the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD)

Introduction

Standardized tests have long played a central role in U.S. K-12 and post-secondary education—used for everything from measuring student progress to informing school accountability and shaping college admissions. As we enter 2025, the landscape for standardized testing continues to shift in meaningful ways. From digital test delivery and evolving college admissions policies to declining student proficiency and renewed questions about equity, the changes matter deeply for parents, students, educators and schools.

This article examines the current state of standardized testing in 2025: how policies have changed, what recent performance data show, how colleges are responding, and what practical steps families and schools can take to navigate this evolving terrain. In particular, we reference authoritative sources including the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and federal education policy, and link to relevant resources—including one of our own reviews at Boarding School Review.

What We Mean by “Standardized Tests”

“Standardized tests” is a broad term that can refer to a variety of assessments administered under consistent conditions, with the goal of measuring student achievement or growth across different students, schools or jurisdictions. In K-12 settings this often includes state-level assessments (for example, in grades 3-8 and 11), diagnostic and interim assessments, and nationally-normed exams like the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or the ACT in the college admissions context.
These tests serve multiple functions: measuring what students know and can do, informing instruction, enabling comparisons across schools or states, supporting accountability systems and guiding admission or

How Are Public Schools in the United States Actually Doing?

Introduction

Public schools educate nearly 90% of American children, making them a cornerstone of the nation’s future. Yet parents, policymakers, and educators often ask the same pressing question: How are U.S. public schools really doing? This 2025 update reviews the latest enrollment data, academic performance, funding challenges, and reforms shaping the K–12 landscape.

Enrollment and Demographics in 2025

According to the, total U.S. public school enrollment stands at 49.5 million students, continuing a slow decline since the pandemic peak of 2020. The student population is now:

• 46% White

• 28% Hispanic

• 15% Black

• 6% Asian

• 5% Multiracial/Other

Nearly 15% of public school students receive special education services under IDEA, and 10.8% are English learners, highlighting the growing demand for inclusive and multilingual support.

Families comparing options often look at class sizes and student-teacher ratios. In 2025, the national average is 15:1, though states vary significantly. Parents interested in comparing public and private school ratios can explore detailed breakdowns on PublicSchoolReview.com.

Academic Performance and Accountability

The latest shows mixed results. While math and reading scores in 2025 improved slightly from their 2022 lows, they remain below pre-pandemic

History of Public Education

The first schools in colonial America were private. Public schools per se came much later on in the 19th century. A History of Public Schools offers a comprehensive overview of the subject.

Funding and Budgeting

U.S. public schools supplemented by funding from state and private sources. 92% of public school funding comes from non-federal sources. An Overview of the Funding of Public Schools explains how the system works. Here are two examples of school district budgets to illustrate the disparity regarding funding between a large urban school district and a small rural school district.

Large School District (Example):

Total Annual Budget: $1.2 billion

Sources of Funding:

• State Funding: $700 million
• Local Property Taxes: $300 million
• Federal Grants: $150 million
• Other Sources (e.g., donations, grants): $50 million

Expenditure Breakdown:

• Instructional Costs (teachers, textbooks, supplies): $600 million
• Administrative Costs (salaries, facilities, utilities): $200 million
• Student Support Services (counseling, special education): $150 million
• Transportation: $50 million
• Building Maintenance: $50 million
• Extracurricular Activities: $30 million
• Debt Service: $20 million
• Reserves and Contingencies: $50 million

Compare this hypothetical budget with the actual of the Houston ISD.

Small School District (Example):

Total Annual Budget: $10 million

Sources of Funding:

• State Funding: $5 million
• Local Property Taxes: $3 million
• Federal Grants: $1 million
• Other Sources (e.g., donations, grants): $1 million

Expenditure Breakdown:

• Instructional Costs (teachers, textbooks, supplies): $4 million
• Administrative Costs (salaries, facilities, utilities): $1 million
• Student Support Services (counseling, special education): $500,000
• Transportation: $150,000
• Building Maintenance: $200,000
• Extracurricular Activities: $50,000
• Debt

Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps or JROTC

I was disappointed to read the story in the about abuse in an Army JROTC program. Why? Because I've always thought very highly of the program available in over 1700 public and private high schools. I will further disclaim that my eldest daughter was in the ROTC program at MIT while she was at Harvard. So, I know first-hand that it is well-run for the most part. The JROTC does an immense amount of good for young people at the high school level.

What is JROTC?

or Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps in 1916. Each branch of the services has its own distinctive JROTC program. However, they all have the altruistic-sounding mission "To Motivate Young People to be Better Citizens."

The U.S. Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) is one of the largest character development and citizenship programs for youth in the world. Source:

• Some people think that JROTC is a recruiting program for the military.
• But it is not. Indeed, most JROTC participants do not join the military after graduating from high school.
• Nor are they required to do so.
• On the other hand, the college-level ROTC programs do require their participants to sign up for a tour of duty after graduating from college.
• Simply put, the JROTC