• • Though the U.S. public education system spends nearly $19,000 on each student, 77% of students graduate without proficiency, as averaged across academic subjects. 
  • On a global scale, 15-year-old students in the U.S. placed 9th in reading, 16th in science, and 34th in math.
  • Teachers unions leverage their political power to maintain the public school monopoly, working to prevent the advancement of school choice. In exchange for campaign funding, teachers unions are rewarded political power. 

By: Dr. Keri D. Ingraham

• • Thanks to the TCJA, real wages rose 4.9% after its implementation in 2018.
  • First introduced in 2017, the TCJA lowered America’s corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%, a reduction that largely benefited workers.
  • Since TCJA became law, GDP has increased by 0.9%—a large amount considering the economy is worth over $27 trillion.
  • Small businesses have benefited from the TCJA. Less than a year after the TCJA’s enactment, the National Federation of Independent Business’ small-business optimism index hit the highest level ever recorded.

By: Carrie Sheffield

• • An American Caregivers Program would give citizens and residents similar work opportunities to those currently provided to young foreigners through the State Department’s au pair program.
  • It could create a new opportunity for Americans to engage live-in caregivers—outside the existing, often unworkably complex, regulatory framework.
  • And the caregiver program would increase the supply of caregivers, and make it easier for people to get the help they need.

By: Carrie Lukas & Heather Madden

• • If the U.S. continues to pursue the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of  “net-zero” carbon emissions and favor intermittent renewables over affordable, abundant energy sources, consumers will pay an estimated 19% more on electricity by 2028.
  • Utility-scale solar and wind power, which depend on the sun and wind, cannot always meet demand.
  • Though the U.S. increased its wind capacity this past year by 6.2 gigawatts (GW), the country experienced a decline in wind generation.
  • While solar facilities function only 24.6% of the year and wind turbines only 36.4% of the year, gas plants run 56.6% of the year and nuclear plants 93%.

By: Gabriella Hoffman

• • Traditional employment arrangements offer benefits to employees such as healthcare, paid time off, and retirement until employment is terminated.
  • Due to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) self-employed people, freelancers, and other independent contractors do not receive benefits, but they enjoy flexibility and independence.
  • Of the 64 million freelance workers in the U.S. about half are women.
  • The majority of independent contractors use flexible work to supplement earnings from a traditional job. They likely already have access to employer-provided benefits or may get coverage through spouses.

By: Patrice Onwuka & Gabriella Hoffman