[Amezarak]

American schools are some of the best-funded per capita in the world. There are always budget "shortfalls" and demands for more money because you can always spend more money. That doesn't mean you're getting better results. Some of the best funded schools in the country are getting some of the worst outcomes (e.g., Baltimore.)

Most of the money is just wasted. The biggest factor is home life. It totally dominates. The second-biggest is classroom size and teacher salaries. That's mostly ignored as we engage in increasing technological interventions (hand every kid in iPad) and cripple teacher independence and authority via administrative policy.

[JAlexoid]

Because Finland learned the best way of teaching - getting parents involved a LOT more.

You can fund the schools $1bn per student, but since the child spends only about 40% of their annual awake time at school - you can only do so much.

The more parental involvement, the better the outcome. A single parent that works 2 jobs and doesn't look after their kid's education will result in poor outcome no matter what.

[lupire]

American schools are best funded because that ignores social funding outside of school that indirectly supports education.