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  • The Cartel (2009)
  • Not Rated
    90 min | Documentary
The Cartel (2009)
Not Rated
90 min | Documentary

American public schools have been growing progressively worse. According to the U.S. Department of Education national testing, only 35% of American high school seniors are proficient in reading, based on 2006 data. And fewer than ...See moreAmerican public schools have been growing progressively worse. According to the U.S. Department of Education national testing, only 35% of American high school seniors are proficient in reading, based on 2006 data. And fewer than one-in-four, 23%, are proficient in math. On the global stage, America ranks last in educational effectiveness among large industrialized countries despite the highest spending per student in the world. It presents a conundrum: How has the richest and most innovative society on earth suddenly lost the ability to teach its children at a level that other modern countries consider "basic"? If the problem is that we're not spending enough on schools, which many people believe, it's instructive to study the U.S. state that spends more than any other per student: New Jersey With spending as high as $483,000 per classroom (confirmed by NJ Education Department records for 2005-06), New Jersey students fare only slightly better than the national average in reading and math, and rank 37th in average SAT scores. And not even half of NJ's high school freshmen, despite the state's enormous "investment," are academically ready for college four years later. The fact is much of the public considers teacher salaries and overall education budgets to be the same thing -- if you're for raising one, you must be for raising the other. But as the film shows, in many cases 80-90% of the spending goes somewhere besides teacher salaries. In fact billions of dollars, as confirmed by independent audits, are wasted. "The Cartel" investigates what is causing this vast underachievement and what can be done to turn things around. Written by Anonymous See less
Read more: Plot summary
Director
Writer
Bob Bowdon (written by)
Producer
Composer
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Release date
Oct 9, 2009 (United States)
Awards

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Cast

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72 cast members
Name Known for
Bob Bowdon
Self - Host Self - Host   See fewer
Rick Berman
Self - Executive Director, Center for Union Facts Self - Executive Director, Center for Union Facts   See fewer
Michael Bloomberg
Self - New York City Mayor (archive footage) Self - New York City Mayor (archive footage)   See fewer
Tom Brokaw
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Elaine Brown
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Mika Brzezinski
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Pat Buchanan
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Jon Corzine
Self - New Jersey Governor (archive footage) Self - New Jersey Governor (archive footage)   See fewer
Lucille Davy
Self - NJ Education Commissioner Self - NJ Education Commissioner   See fewer
Lou Dobbs
Self - Journalist (archive footage) Self - Journalist (archive footage)   See fewer
Willie Geist
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Michael Glascoe
Self - Outtgoing Paterson, NJ School Superintendent Self - Outtgoing Paterson, NJ School Superintendent   See fewer
Bob Ingle
Self - Journalist (archive footage) Self - Journalist (archive footage)   See fewer
Reginald Jackson
Self (as Rev. Reginald Jackson) Self (as Rev. Reginald Jackson)   See fewer
Susan Jacoby
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Beverly Jones
Self - Former Trenton Teacher Self - Former Trenton Teacher   See fewer
Lisa Kasabach
Self - Teacher, Parent, Charter School Applicant Self - Teacher, Parent, Charter School Applicant   See fewer
Ray Lesniak
Self - Politician Self - Politician   See fewer
Bill Maher
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Joseph Malone
Self - Politician Self - Politician   See fewer
Kent Manahan
Self - NJN Anchor (archive footage) Self - NJN Anchor (archive footage)   See fewer
Chris Matthews
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Sandy McClure
Self - Journalist Self - Journalist   See fewer
John McWhorter
Self - Critic Self - Critic   See fewer
Anne Milgram
Self - New Jersey Attorney General (archive footage) Self - New Jersey Attorney General (archive footage)   See fewer
Theresa Minutillo
Self - Hoboken Schools Self - Hoboken Schools   See fewer
Andrea Mitchell
Self - Journalist (archive footage) Self - Journalist (archive footage)   See fewer
Paul Peterson
Self (as Prof. Paul Peterson) Self (as Prof. Paul Peterson)   See fewer
Joyce Powell
Self - NJEA President Self - NJEA President   See fewer
Cokie Roberts
Self - Journalist (archive footage) Self - Journalist (archive footage)   See fewer
Dana Rone
Self - Newark City Councilwoman Self - Newark City Councilwoman   See fewer
Shelly Skinner
Self - Jersey City Parents Self - Jersey City Parents   See fewer
Anne Wallace
Self - Charter School Applicant Self - Charter School Applicant   See fewer
Joe Williams
Self - Activist (archive footage) Self - Activist (archive footage)   See fewer
Mort Zuckerman
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
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