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The problem with education in the US is cost - quality is almost as good as it possibly could be (holding the inputs fixed).

In 2010, the US government spent $900B on education. If Khan can reduce the number of teachers needed by even a few percent, that's a HUGE savings.



In 2010, the US government spent $900B on education. If Khan can reduce the number of teachers needed by even a few percent, that's a HUGE savings.

Fully agreed with the conclusion. Staff compensation (including SUBSTANTIAL nonsalary compensation) is a big part of the budget of any school. Making the work of teachers more efficient (in the economics sense of "efficient") helps free up money for other worthy purposes.

Another comment to your comment doubted the figure, I think because you wrote "US government spent" when you perhaps meant "all levels of government in the United States spent" so much money on education. Most spending on schools in the United States is from state taxes (as in my state) or from local taxes (as in some other states), as I'm sure you already know but which may be news to onlookers from other countries.

"The U.S. has more than 14,000 public school districts and spends more than $500 billion on public elementary and secondary education each year (combined spending of federal, state, and local governments)."

http://www.census.gov/did/www/schooldistricts/

"United States

(Billions of dollars. Detail may not add to total due to rounding)

Total Federal State Local

593.7 74.0 258.2 261.4"

http://www2.census.gov/govs/school/10f33pub.pdf


in 2010, the US Department of Education budget was $47 billion [1]. That's between 1-2% of the total budget. The problem with education in the US is not cost, and even if it was, the solution is not 'get rid of a few percent of teachers."

Where did you get that $900 billion number?

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_States_federal_budg...


This doesn't include state and city levels, where most of the education spending happens.




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