Without defining clearer standards, whether something has “gone to hell” is a matter of opinion. While such judgments can’t be measured directly, various metrics—such as test scores, graduation rates, and equity gaps—offer insight into the state of American education.
Since the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) was established in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter, the overall quality of education appears to have improved. A Snopes fact check on a similar claim found mixed conclusions across different reports, but little evidence that the U.S. school system has significantly declined. Historical data from the National Center for Education Statistics showed that U.S. students lagged behind peers in other developed countries from the 1960s through 1988. However, a 2022 Harvard analysis found that average student achievement in the U.S. increased between 1971 and 2017. This suggests that, after early stagnation, student performance gradually improved during the DOE era.
It is true that since 2020, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading and math scores have fallen. However, most analysts attribute this decline to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning, not to DOE policy.
Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recently ranked the United States first in education, based on responses from international survey participants, helping us to contextualize the perception of the US education system globally.
Overall, this claim isn't supported by available evidence. Some educational outcomes have worsened, others have improved—there is no clear, consistent collapse starting with the DOE’s creation.
