[Cato Insights](/insights) 

Share 

More 

Copy Link 

Link Copied 

[ 

Download as Image 

](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2026-01/2025-05-insights-candidates-i.png) 

##### Embed 

Click to copy 

Copy Link 

Link Copied 

Download 

[ 

Download as Image 

](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2026-01/2025-05-insights-candidates-i.png) 

Embed 

Click to copy 

# Education spending rises while **student performance stagnates**

![(2025-05) Insights Candidates I](https://infogram-thumbs-1024.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/54bc2dfa-26d4-4863-abc5-93f06e53496b.jpg) 

September 19, 2025 

Sources 

Sources 

NAEP Report Card: Grade 12 Mathematics: [https://​www​.nation​sre​port​card​.gov/​r​e​p​o​r​t​s​/​m​a​t​h​e​m​a​t​i​c​s​/​2​0​2​4​/​g​1​2​/​n​a​t​i​o​n​a​l​-​t​r​ends/](https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/mathematics/2024/g12/national-trends/); NAEP Report Card: Grade 12 Reading: [https://​www​.nation​sre​port​card​.gov/​r​e​p​o​r​t​s​/​r​e​a​d​i​n​g​/​2​0​2​4​/​g​1​2​/​n​a​t​i​o​n​a​l​-​t​r​ends/](https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reports/reading/2024/g12/national-trends/); NAEP Report Card: Grade 17 Mathematics: [https://​www​.nation​sre​port​card​.gov/​l​t​t​\_​2​0​1​2​/​a​g​e​1​7​m​.aspx](https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ltt_2012/age17m.aspx); NAEP Report Card: Grade 17 Reading: [https://​www​.nation​sre​port​card​.gov/​l​t​t​\_​2​0​1​2​/​a​g​e​1​7​r​.aspx](https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/ltt_2012/age17r.aspx); National Center for Education Statistics, “Total and current expenditures per pupil in public elementary and secondary schools: Selected school years, 1919–20 through 2020–21,” [https://​nces​.ed​.gov/​p​r​o​g​r​a​m​s​/​d​i​g​e​s​t​/​d​2​3​/​t​a​b​l​e​s​/​d​t​2​3​\_​2​3​6​.​5​5​.​a​s​p​?​c​u​r​r​e​n​t=yes](https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d23/tables/dt23_236.55.asp?current=yes); School-aged population: Digest of Education Statistics, Table 101.10, “5 to 17 years old,” [https://​nces​.ed​.gov/​p​r​o​g​r​a​m​s​/​d​i​g​e​s​t​/​d​2​3​/​t​a​b​l​e​s​/​d​t​2​3​\_​1​0​1​.​1​0​.​a​s​p​?​c​u​r​r​e​n​t=yes](https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d23/tables/dt23_101.10.asp?current=yes).

For questions please contact <insights@cato.org>.

Subscribe to the 

Cato Insights 

Newsletter

[text](#)

[Cato Insights](/insights)[Cato Insights](/insights) illustrate, through thought-provoking data visualizations, important truths central to promoting and supporting a more free and open society.

[Cato Insights Gallery](/insights) 

##### Latest Cato Insights 

[##### Sweden’s excess death rate during the pandemic was **the lowest in Europe**

![Cato Insights - Sweden During the Pandemic](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/cato-insights-sweden-low-excess-mortality.png?itok=3eEJzCXV) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/swedens-excess-death-rate-was-lowest-in-europe) 

[##### The number of **federal government subsidy and benefit programs** for individuals and businesses is soaring

![Cato Insights - Federal Subsidy Programs for Individuals](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/Insight_%20Number%20of%20Federal%20Subsidy%20Programs%402x.png?itok=jGvyPXxS) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/number-of-federal-government-subsidy-benefit-programs-is-soaring) 

[##### **More than 99%** of people who want to immigrate to the US don’t qualify

![Cato Insights - Less Than 1 Percent Get Greencards](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/insights-greencard-applicants-breakdown.png?itok=a1D2wGlv) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/more-than-99-percent-of-immigrants-do-not-qualify) 

[##### The world economy has increased **more than a hundredfold** since the ‘Great Enrichment’ began 200 years ago

![Cato Insights - The Great Enrichment Hockeystick](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/World%20GDP%20Growth_0.png?itok=l1LemNvg) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/world-economy-has-grown-hundredfold) 

[##### More countries have **decoupled economic growth** from carbon dioxide emissions

![Cato Insights - Decoupling of Economic Growth and Emissions](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/insights-many-countries-have-decoupled-economic-growth-from-carbon-dioxide-emissions.png?itok=q-zJ24_V) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/more-countries-have-decoupled-economic-growth-from-co2) 

[##### Only **~1 in 50** federal convictions come from jury trials

![Cato Insights - Jury Trials - A Rarity](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/gallery/public/2024-04/insights-federal-criminal-prosecutions-breakdown_0.png?itok=U7dtTpph) 

](https://www.cato.org/insights/only-1-in-50-federal-convictions-come-from-jury-trials) 

[![Creative Commons License](/build/cato_2020/images/creative-commons.svg)](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) 
This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).