High School Athletics

Amanda Ripley thinks we spend more on high school athletics than we should, particularly when you look at the standing of America in tests given to students around the world.  We rank 31st.  Countries, such as South Korea and Finland, where athletics are not part of the high school curriculum do much better.  She does not think that students don't benefit from sports, but the cost in dollars and distraction are too high.  She says that we "spend more tax dollars per high-school athlete than per high-school math student."

One example she uses is the Premont Independent School District, a small district in Texas.  It has 282 high school students, yet was spending $150,000 annually on athletics or c.$530 per student (whether the student played sports or not). The school decided to drop all athletics, thereby saving money and refocusing everyone’s attention on academics. The school made other changes, too, such as giving teachers more time for training and planning, making students wear uniforms, and aligning the curriculum with more-rigorous state standards. 

There were other benefits besides saving money.  Said one of the proponents of the change, “The first 12 weeks of school were the most peaceful beginning weeks I’ve ever witnessed at a high school.  It was calm. There was a level of energy devoted to planning and lessons, to after-school tutoring. I saw such a difference.”  That first semester, 80 percent of the students passed their classes, compared with 50 percent the previous fall. About 160 people attended parent-teacher night, compared with six the year before.