In Education, Winning Isn't for Everyone
But it should be
Before we sink too far into fall’s pumpkin spice embrace, let’s take a moment to remember the summer’s highlight: the United States’ domination at the Olympic games. In addition to a host of amazing athletic feats many viewers were also treated to a wave of inspirational commercials by sports juggernaut Nike. For these games Nike chose the tagline, “Winning Isn’t for Everyone.” My personal favorite is a video featuring paralympians. Narrated by Italian fencer Beatrice Vio, the video proclaims,
“[T]hey say just being here is winning.
Participating is winning.
Last time I checked, winning is winning.”
It is a bold commercial that speaks to Nike’s stated mission to “do everything possible to expand human potential,” and for a parent and education advocate like me, it causes me to wonder – when it comes to education, is the United States willing to do what it takes to win? Stated another way - Can we compete in the classroom or, alternatively, maybe winning isn’t for us?
Like most Americans watching the 33rd Olympiad, I was thrilled to see my fellow citizens excel across a range of events. At their best, the Olympics show that people can overcome incredible odds to do remarkable things. Athletes from all backgrounds, nationalities, religions, political predilections, and economies test their metal against one another, often to historic success. The Games are replete with examples like Brody Malone (men’s gymnastics) and Anna Hall (women’s heptathlon) who overcame devastating personal injury only to rise to peak performance once again. Their stories inspire generations of viewers and were a welcome injection of patriotism amid a wild summer, full political division and drama.
Unfortunately, as the school year is underway across the U.S., the pendulum has swung and the U.S. goes from global leader to getting lapped by the field. The United States led all nations in total medals (126) and tied with China for the most gold medals (40) but, if anything, this is a story of American ATHLETIC exceptionalism. When it comes to American ACADEMIC prowess rankings are decidedly different.
On the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), 15 year-old students from the U.S. take the same assessment as their peers from countries around the world. The test measures their proficiency in reading, math, and science. Whereas Americans got used to seeing our countrymen and women smiling and listening to the “Star Spangled Banner” during the real Olympic games, our highest ranking on the 2022 PISA (the most recent test for which there is data) came in reading where the U.S. finished in 9th place. Our students ranked 16th in science and a dismal 34th in math. So, while the 24 Estonian athletes may be disappointed by leaving Paris without winning a single medal, they can take solace knowing that their children fare better in every subject than those of the mighty United States.
PISA scores tell a story that is strikingly similar to the one told by the so-called “Nation’s Report Card,” the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). For instance, the 2022 NAEP showed a major decline in 8th grade math scores with a majority of 8th graders well under the “Proficient” level. In reading, 4th and 8th grade levels are not statistically different from those in 1992 – when the Olympics were in Barcelona. The sporting world has experienced tremendous progress in the 32 years since those games, yet U.S. education has gained little ground.
What will it take for America’s education system to compete globally?
If American students are to thrive on a global stage and in an increasingly global economy, the education system might borrow some lessons from athletic world.
Options Provide Opportunity
I was stunned to learn how many international athletes train in the United States. French swimming phenom Leon Marchand trains at and attends Arizona State University. He chose ASU so that he can train under the tutelage of Michael Phelps’s former coach, Bob Bowman. Marchand is willing to train more than 5,000 miles from his home because ASU gives him the best opportunity to reach his potential. Imagine if American students were allowed to access similarly tailored educational programming. Students might choose hybrid models or seek tutoring from teachers that they are more comfortable with. Our current system of residential assignment is akin to forcing Marchand to be satisfied with the best coach he can find in Wichita (a city the same size as his hometown of Toulouse). There are likely some fine coaches in that city, but maybe not the perfect fit. Likewise, our students deserve access to an education that meets their needs, regardless of geography.
Everyone Gets Better with Competition
“Competition” is often a dirty word in education. Some wrongly assume it will necessarily usher in the end of public schools, but this view is fatalistic. It’s hard to believe but the women’s 1500m swim debuted in the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021. Decades-old biases held that women could not stand up to the rigors of this competition. Enter Katie Ledecky who has dominated the event among women and swims a mere 50 seconds slower than the male record holder. Far from being devastating, access to this competition has provided new sources of triumph and accomplishment. And while her competitors have yet to actually catch Ledecky, they are getting better as they face off against one another. The same can be done in education. By giving students access to the educational experience of their choice, not only will they experience better outcomes, the entire system will improve. Dr. Patrick Wolf’s work shows that increased competition, that is, students being able to choose from among both public and private schools, benefits the students themselves. There is also evidence that exposure to competitive pressure benefits the public school system.
We’ve Got to Want to Win
During the years of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt’s dominance on the track researchers set out to discover the source of Jamaica’s prowess in these events. Was it the climate, training, or even the yams? Turns out that despite many hypotheses about genetic and even geographic factors, Jamaica seems to excel at sprinting because there is a culture that cares about sprinting excellence. In this education context this is mirrored in countries like South Korea, Denmark, and the Netherlands – all countries that routinely score above the U.S. on the PISA. These countries place a premium on education as evidenced by teacher training and public funding of public and private schools. The U.S. would do well to invest in rigorous teacher training in conjunction with funding educational options that go beyond conventional, zoned schools. But all of this is predicated on recommitting to the overall value of K-12. If take seriously education has the potential to do more for American students than simply winning medals, it will grant a lifetime’s worth of success.