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    "original_url": "https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/09\/28\/upshot\/ideas-fixing-schools-ranked.html?emc=edit_nn_20260929&nl=the-morning&segment_id=227235",
    "parsed_content": "Credit...Ricardo Tom\u00e1sSkip to contentSkip to site indexSearch & Section NavigationSection NavigationAccountAccountGoHome U.S.SECTIONSU.S.PoliticsNew YorkCaliforniaEducationHealthObituariesScienceClimateWeatherSportsBusinessTechThe UpshotThe MagazineTOP STORIESDonald TrumpSupreme CourtCongressImmigrationAbortionLatest PollsNEWSLETTERSThe MorningMake sense of the day\u2019s news and ideas.The EveningCatch up on big news, and wind down to end your day.See all newslettersPODCASTSThe DailyThe biggest stories of our time, in 20 minutes a day.See all podcastsWorldSECTIONSWorldAfricaAmericasAsiaAustraliaCanadaEuropeMiddle EastScienceClimateWeatherHealthObituariesTOP STORIESMiddle East CrisisRussia-Ukraine WarChina International RelationsThe Global ProfileLeer en Espa\u00f1olNEWSLETTERSThe WorldA guide to understanding the news, made for readers around the globe.Your Places: Global UpdateThe latest news for any part of the world you select.Canada LetterBackstories and analysis from our Canadian correspondents.See all newslettersBusinessSECTIONSBusinessTechEconomyMediaFinance and MarketsDealBookPersonal TechEnergy TransitionYour MoneyTOP STORIESU.S. EconomyStock MarketArtificial IntelligenceNEWSLETTERSDealBookThe most crucial business and policy news you need to know.On TechOur best tech reporting from the week.See all newslettersPODCASTSHard ForkOur tech journalists help you make sense of the rapidly changing tech world.See all podcastsArtsSECTIONSToday's ArtsBook ReviewBest SellersDanceMoviesMusicTelevisionTheaterPop CultureT MagazineVisual ArtsRECOMMENDATIONS100 Best Movies of the 21st CenturyCritic\u2019s PicksWhat to ReadWhat to WatchWhat to Listen To5 Minutes to Make You Love MusicNEWSLETTERSBooksReviews, news and features to help you find your next read.WatchingStreaming TV and movie recommendations.See all newslettersPODCASTSBook ReviewThe podcast that takes you inside the literary world.PopcastPop music news, new songs and albums, and artists of note.See all podcastsLifestyleSECTIONSAll LifestyleWellTravelStyleReal EstateFoodLoveYour MoneyPersonal TechT MagazineCOLUMNS36 HoursAsk WellThe HuntModern LoveWhere to EatVowsSocial Q\u2019sThe EthicistAsk the TherapistNEWSLETTERSThe WeekenderUnwind with stories about culture and the way we live.WellEssential news and guidance to live your healthiest life.See all newslettersPODCASTSModern LoveThe complicated love lives of real people.See all podcastsOpinionSECTIONSOpinionGuest EssaysEditorialsOp-DocsVideosLettersTOPICSPoliticsWorldBusinessTechClimateHealthCultureCOLUMNISTSJamelle BouieMaureen DowdDavid FrenchThomas L. 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Win ProjectionsNEWSLETTERSThe PulseDelivering the top stories in sports, Sunday to Friday.See all newslettersPLAYConnections: Sports Edition Connections: Soccer Edition Connections Coach U.S.InternationalCanadaEspa\u00f1ol\u4e2d\u658730 Ideas for Fixing U.S. Schools, Ranked by ExpertsMath and reading scores are in a decade-long slump. We asked three dozen experts: What could turn things around?Credit...Ricardo Tom\u00e1sSupported bySKIP ADVERTISEMENTListen \u00b7 11:42 min Share full articleBy Sarah MervoshFrancesca Paris and Claire Cain MillerSept. 28, 2026U.S. schools are facing a daunting problem. Students simply can\u2019t read or do math as well as they used to.Student test scores have declined over the last decade, in an academic slump that started before the pandemic and has continued since. Compared with 2015, reading scores are down in 83 percent of districts, and math declines are nearly as pervasive.But improving student achievement is notoriously difficult. Do schools need more money? Better teachers? More standardized testing? Less?What could actually help turn things around?We asked 37 top academics and researchers who study education to rate a range of ideas for both effectiveness and cost, on a scale of 1 to 7.\n Effective, buthigher costLess effective, butlower cost Science of reading Science of reading Small group tutoring Small group tutoring Universal pre-K Universal pre-K Private school vouchers Private school vouchers Increase all teacher pay Increase all teacher pay Ban cellphones Ban cellphones MORE EFFECTIVE LOWER COST HIGHER COST LESS EFFECTIVE 30 Ideas for Fixing U.S. Schools, Ranked by Experts - The New York Times\nOverall, no single idea was enough on its own, experts said. And no idea would be successful unless it was executed well. But the results showed there are a number of ideas that can work.We asked experts to evaluate each idea for its impact on academic achievement, which is generally measured by standardized test scores.Lots of other things matter, too, including enrichment activities like the arts, teacher work satisfaction, and student excitement about learning. Children also have other needs beyond academics, including mental health and well-being.But given the results of the last decade, we were interested in what could lift student achievement, which is tied to many later life outcomes, for students, society and the economy.Most effective: Tutoring, science of readingTwo ideas surfaced as most effective: frequent small group tutoring during the school day for students who need it, and the science of reading, a systematic approach to teaching reading that puts a focus on phonics and other evidence-based practices.Both of these ideas are already being carried out in schools, to varying degrees.\n Top five most effective ideas Expand allInterventionEffectCOST1.Small group tutoring Details for Small group tutoring6.05.2 2.Science of reading Details for Science of reading5.33.2 3.Universal pre-K Details for Universal pre-K4.85.9 4.Increase per-student funding Details for Increase per-student funding4.86.5 5.Increase teacher pay for high-poverty schools Details for Increase teacher pay for high-poverty schools4.84.1 30 Ideas for Fixing U.S. Schools, Ranked by Experts - The New York Times\nOther ideas deemed highly effective? High-quality preschool, which can help close early gaps that develop even before students start school. And paying effective teachers more to work at high-poverty schools, a strategy that is not widely used but can help encourage the best teachers to work with students who are most behind.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTNotably, the most effective ideas were some of the most expensive. Some changes \u2014 like paying more for certain jobs \u2014 may also need to be negotiated with local teachers\u2019 unions, a potential sticking point.And all of these ideas came with an important caveat. We asked researchers to rate effectiveness \u201cwhen done properly.\u201d In the real world, a lot can fall apart because of the details.We\u2019ll get to more on that below.Best value: Accountability, curriculum changesWhen we compared effectiveness and cost, other ideas rose to the top.\n Top five most cost-effective ideas Expand allInterventionEffectCOST1.Science of reading Details for Science of reading5.33.2 2.School accountability Details for School accountability4.32.8 3.High-quality curriculum Details for High-quality curriculum4.53.0 4.Expand access to advanced classes Details for Expand access to advanced classes4.73.2 5.Fire teachers for underperformance Details for Fire teachers for underperformance4.33.0 Top five most cost-effective interventions ranked above average for effectiveness. 30 Ideas for Fixing U.S. Schools, Ranked by Experts - The New York Times\nSchool accountability \u2014 giving schools a rating, like an A-F letter grade, and requiring underperforming schools to make changes \u2014 emerged as highly cost effective.It is also an approach that the federal government and many states have backed away from since the end of No Child Left Behind, the federal school accountability law from 2002 to 2015. The law was seen as punitive and overly reliant on standardized testing. In recent years, though, some states have used a model of accountability that focuses more on student progress, not just whether they\u2019re on grade level, and gives underperforming schools support to improve. Our experts also liked requiring schools to use research-backed, high-quality curriculums, vetted by a state or school district (as opposed to having individual schools or teachers select their own materials, the approach in some places).Offering more access to advanced classes was another cost-effective idea.This doesn\u2019t mean just sorting students into gifted and talented programs, but offering more students advanced classes, such as eighth-grade algebra, or Advanced Placement classes in high school. Experts recommended expanding access at low-income schools, which tend to offer fewer college-prep classes, and choosing qualified students based on their performance, not just parent or teacher selection.These cost-effective strategies had something in common: a focus on increasing academic rigor for more students.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTWorst value: Vouchers, smaller class sizesSome politically popular ideas \u2014 on both the left and the right \u2014 ranked as both costly and less effective, at least when it came to improving student achievement.\n Five least cost-effective ideas Expand allInterventionEffectCOST1.Private school vouchers Details for Private school vouchers2.45.1 2.Smaller class sizes Details for Smaller class sizes3.86.5 3.Increase all teacher pay Details for Increase all teacher pay3.96.3 4.Increase mental health spending Details for Increase mental health spending3.55.0 5.Allow A.I. use Details for Allow A.I. use2.22.6 Top five least cost-effective interventions ranked below average for effectiveness. 30 Ideas for Fixing U.S. Schools, Ranked by Experts - The New York Times\nOne high-cost, less effective idea was private school vouchers, a leading reform put forth by conservatives, now available in a growing number of states.In this model, all or nearly all families are made eligible for taxpayer money \u2014 for example, $8,000 or $9,000 \u2014 to help pay for private school or home-schooling.While competition can help spur broad improvements across schools, most experts said that vouchers come with minimal academic benefits, particularly compared with the cost.In places that have tried vouchers, much of the money goes to students already in private school. And there is little evidence that students who transfer into a private school do much better academically. The subsidies can drive tuition increases, and often do not cover the full price, leaving the top private schools out of reach for many students.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTOn the political left, smaller class sizes are often talked up by parents and teachers, who envision less stress, better working conditions and more attention for each child.But experts were skeptical that classes can realistically be kept small enough to reap the academic benefits, which research shows happens somewhere around 15 students. In New York City, a state law has tried to cap class sizes at 20 to 23 students in elementary school.To reduce class sizes, districts also need to hire many more teachers. That can lead to issues with teacher quality, experts said, detracting from the benefits.Worth a try? Going lower techIn some cases, there was little empirical evidence that an idea was academically effective, at least not yet. But experts believed that it could work. In cases where the idea was also not expensive, they saw few downsides to trying it.Going lower tech \u2014 limiting screen time in school; restricting A.I. in the classroom, especially for younger students; and banning cellphones \u2014 fell in this category.\n Ideas worth a try Expand allInterventionEffectCOST1.Screen time limits Details for Screen time limits3.91.6 2.Restrict A.I. use Details for Restrict A.I. use3.91.7 3.Ban cellphones Details for Ban cellphones3.71.7 4.Require full books Details for Require full books3.41.6 5.Student attendance data Details for Student attendance data4.01.9 Top five most cost-effective interventions ranked below average for cost. 30 Ideas for Fixing U.S. Schools, Ranked by Experts - The New York Times\nWe also asked experts for other ideas not on our list. Their ideas included allowing high-performing charter schools to expand and limiting children\u2019s social media and tech usage outside of school.Several experts also said that schools should think beyond test scores and focus on making learning less boring and more engaging \u2014 less passive listening and memorizing for tests, for example, and more open-ended research and project-based learning.\u201cHow do we get an education system that promotes high academic achievement, but is also a place where kids really want to be?\u201d said Chris Torres, an associate professor at the University of Michigan.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTMost likely to succeed: The idea executed wellSo what should be done?The results suggest that any meaningful change will probably require multiple evidence-backed strategies, with a focus on executing them well for the long term, and based on the needs of the students and teachers in each place.That is what has happened in places like Mississippi, which has climbed in the national rankings, and in Louisiana, which is making leaps. Both states have used several strategies our experts deemed effective, including the science of reading, school accountability and a focus on high-quality curriculum.\u201cThe reality is that improving education at scale is incredibly hard work, but there are a lot of things that can move the ball down the court,\u201d said Matthew Kraft, an education professor at Brown University.It also takes a \u201crelentless commitment to troubleshooting,\u201d he said.If there was one thing our expert panel agreed on, it was that how well ideas are carried out matters.Take universal preschool, an expensive idea that our experts deemed effective. Lori Taylor, a professor at Texas A&M University, noted that \u201chigh-quality pre-K is highly cost effective,\u201d while \u201clow-quality pre-K is basically subsidized day care.\u201d (It also needs to be paired with high-quality instruction in elementary school so that gains are not lost.)This emphasis on quality helps explain why education debates can seem so intractable, and why what works in one place may not transplant easily. Success often comes down to a visionary leader \u2014 a school principal, superintendent or state chief \u2014 who can lay out a plan and stick with it.\u201cIn practice, simply doing anything well may matter more than any handful of interventions,\u201d said Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University. \u201cImplementation is everything.\u201dSee all results, and sort by effectiveness or cost:\n All interventions Expand allInterventioneffect COST 1.Small group tutoring Details for Small group tutoring6.05.2 2.Science of reading Details for Science of reading5.33.2 3.Universal pre-K Details for Universal pre-K4.85.9 4.Increase per-student funding Details for Increase per-student funding4.86.5 5.Increase teacher pay for high-poverty schools Details for Increase teacher pay for high-poverty schools4.84.1 6.More learning time Details for More learning time4.85.3 7.Expand access to advanced classes Details for Expand access to advanced classes4.73.2 8.Coaches for teachers Details for Coaches for teachers4.64.6 9.High-quality curriculum Details for High-quality curriculum4.53.0 10.Non-academic supports for students Details for Non-academic supports for students4.55.6 11.School accountability Details for School accountability4.32.8 12.Fire teachers for underperformance Details for Fire teachers for underperformance4.33.0 13.Upgrade HVAC in school buildings Details for Upgrade HVAC in school buildings4.14.4 14.Diverse educators Details for Diverse educators4.13.6 15.Pay high-performing teachers more Details for Pay high-performing teachers more4.04.3 16.Student attendance data Details for Student attendance data4.01.9 17.Restrict A.I. use Details for Restrict A.I. use3.91.7 18.Hold back struggling students Details for Hold back struggling students3.94.0 19.Screen time limits Details for Screen time limits3.91.6 20.Increase all teacher pay Details for Increase all teacher pay3.96.3 21.Smaller class sizes Details for Smaller class sizes3.86.5 22.Ban cellphones Details for Ban cellphones3.71.7 23.Increase mental health spending Details for Increase mental health spending3.55.0 24.Use tech for personalized learning Details for Use tech for personalized learning3.53.6 25.Require full books Details for Require full books3.41.6 26.No personalized laptops Details for No personalized laptops2.91.7 27.Eliminate tracking Details for Eliminate tracking2.52.2 28.Private school vouchers Details for Private school vouchers2.45.1 29.Allow teachers to use their own curriculum Details for Allow teachers to use their own curriculum2.41.6 30.Allow A.I. use Details for Allow A.I. use2.22.6 \nAbout the dataTo build our list of interventions, we consulted policymakers and researchers and pulled examples from districts and states. We also considered leading proposals by groups that leaned Democratic and Republican.For our survey, we asked experts to evaluate each idea on a scale of 1 to 7, considering the impact on improving academic achievement. For both effectiveness and cost, we asked researchers to rate each idea assuming it was done properly and at the highest quality.Our panel consisted of 37 academics and researchers who have studied education and who responded to our survey in August. We see our survey not as a scientific poll, but as a useful measure of how experts steeped in the research view these ideas.The panel included: Dominique Baker (University of Delaware), Brendan Bartanen (Virginia), Phil Capin (Harvard), Prudence Carter (Brown), Joseph Cimpian (N.Y.U.), Sarah Cohodes (Michigan), Thomas Dee (Stanford), Susan Dynarski (Harvard), Anna J. Egalite (North Carolina State), Dan Goldhaber (University of Washington), Eric Hanushek (Stanford), Douglas Harris (Tulane), Heather Hill (Harvard), Ilana Horn (Vanderbilt), Huriya Jabbar (U.S.C.), Tom Kane (Harvard), James Kim (Harvard), Cory Koedel (Missouri), Matthew Kraft (Brown), Sarah Winchell Lenhoff (Wayne State), Sarah Lubienski (Indiana), Robert Maranto (Arkansas), Sarah Novicoff (Public Policy Institute of California), Harry Anthony Patrinos (Arkansas), Morgan Polikoff (U.S.C.), Sean Reardon (Stanford), Marguerite Roza (Georgetown), Jack Schneider (University of Massachusetts Amherst), Beth Schueler (Stanford), Jonathan Schweig (RAND), Jeremy Singer (University of Michigan-Flint), James Soland (Virginia), Katharine Strunk (Penn), Lori Taylor (Texas A&M), Chris Torres (Michigan), Martin West (Harvard) and Patrick Wolf (Arkansas).From the commentsClaire Cain MillerReporterIt's clear that U.S. education is in trouble, but it can be hard for policymakers, school leaders, and parents to find practical solutions. We hope this story highlights what to look for and what questions to ask about your local schools.Sarah MervoshEducation reporterAs an education reporter, I've covered the decline in student achievement for years \u2014 but little has been done on a national level to reverse the trend. One goal of this project was to turn the conversation toward solutions. So: If you were king (or queen) for a day, what 5 things would you do?AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT",
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