A new analysis reveals a striking correlation between student literacy performance and political influence of teachers’ unions, with the lowest reading scores concentrated in states dominated by liberal policies and powerful union-backed education systems. The findings suggest that regions where educators hold significant sway over policy fare worse in literacy outcomes compared to states where union influence is less pronounced. The data highlights a sharp divide, as the majority of states with the weakest reading proficiency fall under politically progressive governance, challenging conventional assumptions about education funding and union strength. Critics argue the results underscore systemic differences in how education policies are shaped and implemented across the political spectrum.
Blues states with strong teachers’ unions overwhelmingly have worse student literacy scores than Republican states where educators don’t have as much say over policy, a shocking new analysis found. At least eight of the ten states where students had the worst literacy scores were liberal strongholds with politically powerful teachers’ unions, while just five were...
