Why does the USA have so many great colleges, but the public school education system is so poor?

[Anonymous]

[maximumpower]

Not all public schools are poor, although there are certainly many of them.
Public school (k-->12) is government funded. Many students don't really want to be there and most educators are relatively poorly paid. It's no secret that many of the educators are only there to draw a paycheck bc they don't enjoy the job. Many of that set tend to be absolutely crappy instructors and examples of adults as a whole. (They DO enjoy the hell out of the benefits, tho...) All that aside, most educators in public schools actually enjoy their job - but still wish they'd get paid more. AFAIC, the good ones SHOULD get paid more and the crappy ones should be sent packing.
Private schools (k-->12) are funded by families/benefactors of the students. The proportion of students that don't want to be there is far lower, quality of education is much higher and educators are much better paid.
Colleges are funded by the students and/or their families/benefactors. Instructors must have a higher level of education before they are hired and tend to be better paid. Overwhelming percentage of college students wish to be there.
Bottom line - if people want better services, they need to pay for them.

[Aphelios]

I believe most teachers have to focus more on standards test instead of teaching their own way.

[Haha456]

america has a handful of good universities but these few prestigious schools do not represent vast majority of colleges in the US. Typically the only students who attend these top universities are kids who grew up attending private schools or elite public schools rather than the cheap public school system.

And by the way, most college students struggle to graduate from college on time. Most students have delayed graduation meaning they need 5 years rather than the typical 4 years. The reason is because many students struggle to get into their desired fields of study.

[Meatunnel69]

Because anything the govt is responsible for usually turns to shit. The private sector must answer to the customer with the best service at the lowest price if there is healthy free market competition involved. Generally speaking colleges are privately owned and subject to these market forces whereas the government doesn’t need to answer to as many people to stay in ‘business’ collecting taxes dollars which are forced out of citizens at the threat of property confiscation. K-12 is mostly taxpayer funded babysitting.

[Daniela1982]

Because colleges are "For profit" establishments while schools are funded by the individual States. There are many different rules for how much school districts det for their schools, such as the number of students. When colleges need money they just raise tuition.

[BeMuse]

Obviously the public school system is good enough to graduate enough candidates to continue onto those “great colleges” and produce a workforce that innovates the most technology in the world and produces the world’s largest economy. Not everyone has the same level of success in America. Everyone is just given an opportunity to try to succeed. There are plenty of loser in the world.

[BeMuse]

Since other countries lag behind American in technology and economy maybe the way they measure their public school system's success is flawed. They may get more obedient workforce that seeks approval, but they don't have competitive citizens that come up with creative solutions to solve their problems.

[BeMuse]

What results are high standardized test scores getting you in your country? Why can't you catch up to and surpass America. Why is America so dominate, if it's schools are supposedly so bad?

[AviatorTom]

The majority of "great colleges" are private, not public. And, if you look at the graduation rates of public colleges, it's not so great.

[slatyb]

Because students pay for college, while public schools are supported by local property taxes. In poor areas there isn't enough wealth to provide good schools.

[Anonymous]

Great colleges 😂 more like party schools that focus more on sports and fraternitys AND ivy league schools where people pay to get in or have gotten raped by someone on campus bur the rapist gets away with it since the school covers it up

[Astarlessnightsky]

Lots of money to the collages and only a few bucks for the public schools.

[Anonymous]

Garbage in-garbage out.

Why spend money on kids they ain't getting any smarter. Our bombs are. I say save the smart bombs and just start dropping the kids on other countries. 🤣

[Wise4myage]

Teachers Unions are shit, just like police unions.

[In_Trance]

clearly the system isn't poor or the schools aren't great

[userxvi]

because they want to raise slaves not people who can think for themselves

[panamared1]

colleges are a money maker public schools are not

[DrAdams]

Lack of funding and mismanagement by authorities:

[TroyDT]

Teachers' unions.

[scooogy]

You mean community colleges?

[MrTaboo]

Feminism and liberals.

[H8INCHES]

Colleges are going down hill too.

[dustybiker]

Money.

[Danny_dan92]

Money