From the new book What's a parent to do? (2022)
Review: https://networkforpubliceducation.org/blog-content/john-thompson-how-to-make-education-better-really/
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Parent-Do-Child-Education/dp/1475866798
Rowman link: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781475866780/What%E2%80%99s-a-Parent-to-Do-How-to-Give-Your-Child-the-Best-Education
Review: https://networkforpubliceducation.org/blog-content/john-thompson-how-to-make-education-better-really/
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Parent-Do-Child-Education/dp/1475866798
Rowman link: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781475866780/What%E2%80%99s-a-Parent-to-Do-How-to-Give-Your-Child-the-Best-Education
The enduring benefits of a good education
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Attorney General’s Office discovered that a group of rich parents had been bribing admissions officers and coaches at high-prestige universities so that their children could gain admission.[1] During 2019-2020, over fifty people were charged in the investigation, nicknamed Operation Varsity Blues, and some parents went to prison.
A national furor erupted over the idea that rich people might try to secure the best possible education for their children.[2] While bribery and deception are not particularly admirable traits, the impulse to want the best education for your child is not only understandable—it is human nature.
Perhaps parents trying to gain entrance for their children to prestigious universities had discovered the U.S. Department of Education database of degrees and compared the high salaries garnered by Ivy League grads against salaries garnered by graduates from other institutions. If so, they would have found out that the top 10 percent of Ivy League grads earned “$200,000 or more” after graduation while the top 10 percent from non-Ivy League schools earned less than $70,000.[3]
The connection between a high-quality education and a high salary has been well established.[4] In general, individuals who are more educated tend to make more money—a lot more. The average salary for someone who did not finish high school is $31,000; the average salary for someone with a bachelor’s degree is $65,000; with a master’s degree $78,000; with a doctoral degree $98,000.[5] These differences in annual salary translate into millions of dollars over the course of a working life.
Experts expect differences in income due to educational attainment to grow exponentially over the next decade.[6] Those with only a high school diploma and those who did not graduate from high school will have few options and low wages.[7] At the same time, the well-educated will have numerous opportunities, meaning good jobs at generous salaries.[8]
The adage is that “money cannot buy happiness.”[9] However, recent research has found that money can make you happier, at least in relative terms.[10] Although it is difficult to attribute shifts in attitude to a single phenomenon, research has found that people who have lots of money tend to be happier than people who have very little of it.[11]
Over twenty years ago, a group of economists got together and calculated that a monetary “sweet spot” exists for the achievement of happiness.[12] As one of the researchers noted, "Not having enough money to live a decent life really gets in the way of doing the ordinary things that make people happy."[13] For example, anxiety over bills due at the end of every month would disappear if sufficient funds were in the bank. In this way, money can act to alleviate stress and instill confidence.
The sweet spot in 2022 dollars is supposedly around $90,000.[14] Subsequent studies have found that, while incomes above $90,000 might not translate into higher satisfaction, more money promotes a higher sense of “well-being.”[15] So, while a billionaire may not have a better quality of life than the person who earns $90,000, the billionaire might have a thicker financial cushion and consequently, might spend less time worrying about the future.
In addition to higher salaries, employees with more education are typically the last to lose their jobs while those with the least education are among the first to get laid off.[16] Not only is a good education a smart choice financially, it has intrinsic benefits. As my wise Uncle Jack always said, “They can take away everything you have, but they can never take away what you know.”
The Real World
America was built on high ideals, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”[17] Despite good intentions, the benefits of American citizenship are not uniformly distributed. For some, the pursuit of happiness can be an enjoyable walk in the park; for others, it can be a soul-crushing nightmare. The system as it currently exists can seem unjust, callous, and capricious.
Horace Mann, the staunch advocate for universal, free public schools, wrote that education “is not only a moral renovator, and a multiplier of intellectual power, but that it is also the most prolific parent of material riches.”[18]
Experts agree that the development of character, intellect, and future success is contingent upon the quality of a child’s education.[19] The good news is that success or failure in education is almost always due to wholly controllable phenomena.
Knowing how to build a quality education is the key.
Works cited
[1] Richer, A., & Binkley, C. (2019, March 12). TV stars and coaches charged in college bribery scheme. Associated Press News. https://apnews.com/article/2450688f9e67435c8590e59a1b0e5b47.
March 12, 2019
[2] Golden, D., & Burke, D. (2019, October 8). The unseen student victims of the “varsity blues” college-admission scandal. New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-unseen-student-victims-of-the-varsity-blues-college-admissions-scandal
[3] Ingraham, C. (2015, September 14). This chart shows how much more Ivy League grads make than you. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/09/14/this-chart-shows-why-parents-push-their-kids-so-hard-to-get-into-ivy-league-schools/
[4] Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020). Occupational outlook handbook. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
[5] Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020, May). Learn more, earn more: Education leads to higher wages, lower unemployment. Washington, D.C.: BLS. https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2020/data-on-display/education-pays.htm
[6] World Economic Forum (2020). The future of jobs report 2020. Cologny, Switzerland. WEF. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2020.pdf
[7] Brewlow, J. (2012, September 21). By the numbers: Dropping out of high school. Boston, Massachusetts: Frontline. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/by-the-numbers-dropping-out-of-high-school/.
[8] Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2009). P21 framework descriptions.https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED519462.pdf
[9] Futrelle, D. (2021). Here’s how money really can buy you happiness. Time. https://time.com/collection/guide-to-happiness/4856954/can-money-buy-you-happiness/
[10] Data based on Twenge, J. M., & Cooper, A. B. (2020). The expanding class divide in happiness in the United States, 1972–2016. Emotion. Advance online publication. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-43605-001.
[11] Twenge, J. M., & Cooper, A. B. (2020). The expanding class divide in happiness in the United States, 1972–2016. Emotion. Advance online publication. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-43605-001.
[12] Kahneman, D., & Deaton, A. (2010, September 21). High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being. PNAS 107 (38), 16489-16493. https://www.pnas.org/content/107/38/16489
[13] Deaton, A., cited in Robison, J. (2011, November 17). Happiness is Love -- and $75,000. Gallup Business Journal. https://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/150671/happiness-is-love-and-75k.aspx.
[14] Inflation Calculator (2021). $75,000 in 2010 is worth $89,589.60 today.https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/2010?amount=75000
[15] Killingsworth, M. (2021). Experienced well-being rises with income, even above $75,000 per year. PNAS 118(4). https://www.pnas.org/content/118/4/e2016976118
[16] Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020, May). Learn more, earn more: Education leads to higher wages, lower unemployment. Washington, D.C.: BLS. https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2020/data-on-display/education-pays.htm (citation is from the chart option).
[17] United States Courts (2021). The U.S. Constitution: Preamble. Washington, D.C.: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/us
[18] Mann, H. (1842). Fifth annual report of the Board of Education. Boston, Massachusetts: Board of Education. https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/bitstream/handle/2452/204724/ocm07166577_1841.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. Citation on p. 100-101.
[19] Schoeni R., House, J., Kaplan, G., & Pollack, H. (Eds.) (2010). Making Americans healthier: Social and economic policy as health policy. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
A national furor erupted over the idea that rich people might try to secure the best possible education for their children.[2] While bribery and deception are not particularly admirable traits, the impulse to want the best education for your child is not only understandable—it is human nature.
Perhaps parents trying to gain entrance for their children to prestigious universities had discovered the U.S. Department of Education database of degrees and compared the high salaries garnered by Ivy League grads against salaries garnered by graduates from other institutions. If so, they would have found out that the top 10 percent of Ivy League grads earned “$200,000 or more” after graduation while the top 10 percent from non-Ivy League schools earned less than $70,000.[3]
The connection between a high-quality education and a high salary has been well established.[4] In general, individuals who are more educated tend to make more money—a lot more. The average salary for someone who did not finish high school is $31,000; the average salary for someone with a bachelor’s degree is $65,000; with a master’s degree $78,000; with a doctoral degree $98,000.[5] These differences in annual salary translate into millions of dollars over the course of a working life.
Experts expect differences in income due to educational attainment to grow exponentially over the next decade.[6] Those with only a high school diploma and those who did not graduate from high school will have few options and low wages.[7] At the same time, the well-educated will have numerous opportunities, meaning good jobs at generous salaries.[8]
The adage is that “money cannot buy happiness.”[9] However, recent research has found that money can make you happier, at least in relative terms.[10] Although it is difficult to attribute shifts in attitude to a single phenomenon, research has found that people who have lots of money tend to be happier than people who have very little of it.[11]
Over twenty years ago, a group of economists got together and calculated that a monetary “sweet spot” exists for the achievement of happiness.[12] As one of the researchers noted, "Not having enough money to live a decent life really gets in the way of doing the ordinary things that make people happy."[13] For example, anxiety over bills due at the end of every month would disappear if sufficient funds were in the bank. In this way, money can act to alleviate stress and instill confidence.
The sweet spot in 2022 dollars is supposedly around $90,000.[14] Subsequent studies have found that, while incomes above $90,000 might not translate into higher satisfaction, more money promotes a higher sense of “well-being.”[15] So, while a billionaire may not have a better quality of life than the person who earns $90,000, the billionaire might have a thicker financial cushion and consequently, might spend less time worrying about the future.
In addition to higher salaries, employees with more education are typically the last to lose their jobs while those with the least education are among the first to get laid off.[16] Not only is a good education a smart choice financially, it has intrinsic benefits. As my wise Uncle Jack always said, “They can take away everything you have, but they can never take away what you know.”
The Real World
America was built on high ideals, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”[17] Despite good intentions, the benefits of American citizenship are not uniformly distributed. For some, the pursuit of happiness can be an enjoyable walk in the park; for others, it can be a soul-crushing nightmare. The system as it currently exists can seem unjust, callous, and capricious.
Horace Mann, the staunch advocate for universal, free public schools, wrote that education “is not only a moral renovator, and a multiplier of intellectual power, but that it is also the most prolific parent of material riches.”[18]
Experts agree that the development of character, intellect, and future success is contingent upon the quality of a child’s education.[19] The good news is that success or failure in education is almost always due to wholly controllable phenomena.
Knowing how to build a quality education is the key.
Works cited
[1] Richer, A., & Binkley, C. (2019, March 12). TV stars and coaches charged in college bribery scheme. Associated Press News. https://apnews.com/article/2450688f9e67435c8590e59a1b0e5b47.
March 12, 2019
[2] Golden, D., & Burke, D. (2019, October 8). The unseen student victims of the “varsity blues” college-admission scandal. New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-unseen-student-victims-of-the-varsity-blues-college-admissions-scandal
[3] Ingraham, C. (2015, September 14). This chart shows how much more Ivy League grads make than you. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/09/14/this-chart-shows-why-parents-push-their-kids-so-hard-to-get-into-ivy-league-schools/
[4] Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020). Occupational outlook handbook. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/
[5] Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020, May). Learn more, earn more: Education leads to higher wages, lower unemployment. Washington, D.C.: BLS. https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2020/data-on-display/education-pays.htm
[6] World Economic Forum (2020). The future of jobs report 2020. Cologny, Switzerland. WEF. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2020.pdf
[7] Brewlow, J. (2012, September 21). By the numbers: Dropping out of high school. Boston, Massachusetts: Frontline. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/by-the-numbers-dropping-out-of-high-school/.
[8] Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2009). P21 framework descriptions.https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED519462.pdf
[9] Futrelle, D. (2021). Here’s how money really can buy you happiness. Time. https://time.com/collection/guide-to-happiness/4856954/can-money-buy-you-happiness/
[10] Data based on Twenge, J. M., & Cooper, A. B. (2020). The expanding class divide in happiness in the United States, 1972–2016. Emotion. Advance online publication. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-43605-001.
[11] Twenge, J. M., & Cooper, A. B. (2020). The expanding class divide in happiness in the United States, 1972–2016. Emotion. Advance online publication. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-43605-001.
[12] Kahneman, D., & Deaton, A. (2010, September 21). High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being. PNAS 107 (38), 16489-16493. https://www.pnas.org/content/107/38/16489
[13] Deaton, A., cited in Robison, J. (2011, November 17). Happiness is Love -- and $75,000. Gallup Business Journal. https://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/150671/happiness-is-love-and-75k.aspx.
[14] Inflation Calculator (2021). $75,000 in 2010 is worth $89,589.60 today.https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/2010?amount=75000
[15] Killingsworth, M. (2021). Experienced well-being rises with income, even above $75,000 per year. PNAS 118(4). https://www.pnas.org/content/118/4/e2016976118
[16] Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020, May). Learn more, earn more: Education leads to higher wages, lower unemployment. Washington, D.C.: BLS. https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2020/data-on-display/education-pays.htm (citation is from the chart option).
[17] United States Courts (2021). The U.S. Constitution: Preamble. Washington, D.C.: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/educational-resources/about-educational-outreach/activity-resources/us
[18] Mann, H. (1842). Fifth annual report of the Board of Education. Boston, Massachusetts: Board of Education. https://archives.lib.state.ma.us/bitstream/handle/2452/204724/ocm07166577_1841.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. Citation on p. 100-101.
[19] Schoeni R., House, J., Kaplan, G., & Pollack, H. (Eds.) (2010). Making Americans healthier: Social and economic policy as health policy. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.