Trump’s Claims on U.S. Education Spending and Outcomes Disputed

In a significant departure from educational benchmarks, former President Donald Trump has repeatedly mischaracterized America’s global educational standing, claiming U.S. schools rank “40 out of 40” internationally while spending more per student than any other nation. Analysis of international data reveals both assertions to be inaccurate.

According to the latest Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results from 2022, U.S. 15-year-olds performed above the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average in reading and science, ranking 6th and 12th respectively among 37 participating OECD nations. In mathematics, American students scored slightly below the OECD average, placing 28th – challenging, but far from Trump’s claim of last place.

When examining all 81 participating countries in the PISA study, the U.S. ranked 9th in reading, 16th in science, and 34th in mathematics. These results mirror similar performance patterns from the 2018 assessment conducted during Trump’s presidency.

“The U.S. was not last by any of these measures,” confirms data from multiple international educational assessments, including the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS).

Trump’s claims about educational spending also fail scrutiny. While the U.S. does spend substantially on higher education – 77% above the OECD average at $36,274 per college student – primary and secondary education tell a different story. For elementary education, America ranks 6th in spending behind Luxembourg, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, and Austria. In secondary education, at least seven countries outspend the United States per pupil.

Andrew Crook, press secretary for the American Federation of Teachers, noted that “U.S. expenditures are very close to the OECD average” when focusing solely on K-12 education. He also highlighted the complexity of making direct international comparisons, as American schools often provide services funded separately in other countries.

The former president’s educational claims emerged amid his continued push to dismantle the federal Department of Education, a goal he has openly discussed since his 2016 campaign. During a February 4 press conference, Trump stated he told his Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon, “Linda, I hope you do a great job and put yourself out of a job.”

Trump advocates for a “virtual closure” of the Education Department, proposing to redirect federal education funding directly to states. Currently, federal contributions represent approximately 11% of public school revenues, with state and local sources providing the remainder.

It’s worth noting that states and local communities already maintain primary responsibility for school operations – setting curricula and teacher certification standards – while the federal government provides supplementary support, particularly for disadvantaged populations.

The mischaracterization of America’s educational standing comes amid broader concerns about post-pandemic learning loss. PISA scores declined globally between 2018 and 2022, with the OECD noting “unprecedented drops in mathematics and reading” that “point to the shock effect of COVID-19 on most countries.”

While U.S. education faces genuine challenges, particularly in mathematics, Trump’s portrayal of American schools as globally last-ranked substantially misrepresents the country’s educational performance and spending priorities.