> Looking at Graduation rates Arizona is well behind New York.
Arizona is at 79.5%, vs. 80.5% in New York. I'd hardly call it "well behind". Moreover, the poor students have higher graduation rates in Arizona than in New York. And, moreover, the graduation rates don't mean much, as shown by recent DC graduation rate scandal.
> Looking at ACT and SAT scores by state Arizona is well behind when you adjust for participation and graduation rates.
What's the source of this data? Does it adjust for private vs. public school?
> New York is doing very well economically specifically because they are spending on education. Resulting in vastly fewer poor families.
New York does very well economically because of New York City, which didn't become the global economic powerhouse because of its high education spending. New York City public schools, with a handful exceptions, are well known to be quite bad, by the way.
> Now, you can argue New York is not getting value for money, but they are getting better educated kids.
I see no reason to believe that New York public school children are any better educated than Arizona.
> And, moreover, the graduation rates don't mean much, as shown by recent DC graduation rate scandal.
Did you miss it?
It is you who even brought up the graduation rates in the first place. If you believe that the numbers are not to be trusted, why did you even bring it up?
No single number is that meaningful on it’s own. But when a system has both lower standards and lower graduation rates that’s a clear sign of a problem.
Similarly, if your measuring graduates you need to ensure your measuring similar populations and one system is not simply dumping problems into a separate non counted category.
Doesn't the US have some sort of standard curriculum which defines what you have to do in order to graduate? Like you must have passing grades in at least N subjects.
Looking at ACT and SAT scores by state Arizona is well behind when you adjust for participation and graduation rates.
New York is doing very well economically specifically because they are spending on education. Resulting in vastly fewer poor families.
Now, you can argue New York is not getting value for money, but they are getting better educated kids.