US High School Students Lose Ground In Math and Reading, Continuing Yearslong Decline (apnews.com)
- Reference: 0179114538
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/09/09/218227/us-high-school-students-lose-ground-in-math-and-reading-continuing-yearslong-decline
- Source link: https://apnews.com/article/naep-reading-math-scores-12th-grade-c18d6e3fbc125f12948cc70cb85a520a
> A decade-long slide in high schoolers' reading and math performance persisted during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 12th graders' scores dropping to their lowest level in more than 20 years, according to results released Tuesday from an exam known as the nation's report card. Eighth-grade students also lost significant ground in science skills, according to the results from the National Assessment of Education Progress.
>
> The assessments were the first since the pandemic for eighth graders in science and 12th graders in reading and math. They reflect a downward drift across grade levels and subject areas in previous releases from NAEP, which is considered one of the best gauges of the academic progress of U.S. schools. "Scores for our lowest-performing students are at historic lows," said Matthew Soldner, the acting commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics. "These results should galvanize all of us to take concerted and focused action to accelerate student learning." [...]
>
> In reading, the average score in 2024 was the lowest score in the history of the assessment, which began in 1992. Thirty-two percent of high school seniors scored below "basic," meaning they were not able to find details in a text to help them understand its meaning. In math, the average score in 2024 was the lowest since 2005, when the assessment framework changed significantly. On the test, 45% of high school seniors scored below "basic" achievement, the highest percentage since 2005. Only 33% of high school seniors were considered academically prepared for college-level math courses, a decline from 37% in 2019.
[1] https://apnews.com/article/naep-reading-math-scores-12th-grade-c18d6e3fbc125f12948cc70cb85a520a
On the bright side for Republicans (Score:2)
Don't have to bother removing those pesky LGBTQ+ books when your students are too illiterate to read them in the first place.
Really, what is the end game here? As someone said yesterday, have we just given up and accepted that the future is going to be "one rich guy who owns everything, and the guy who fixes his toilet. (Because even robots have standards)" ?
Re: (Score:1)
Pictures of drag-queens will still trigger their evangelical parents. The Salem Witch Trials never ended, just changed clothing.
Re: (Score:2)
Nothing you said was in any way connected to reality, RightWingFuckFace. Explain yourself with sources, or Shut Your Fucking Shitbag Klan Hole you Disgusting fucking Nazi Piece of Shit.
Re: On the bright side for Republicans (Score:1)
Wow. It's amazing. If not for your insults I might have kept on going along with the dark side. But I'm a liberal now! I'm going to get a vascectomy and force my kids to go vegan now and sterilize themselves when they turn 18!
Re: (Score:2)
Just shoot yourself already you America Hating Cross Burning Dog. Every one of you Fucking Klan Inbreds should have been exterminated after 1865 for the good of the country.
Re: (Score:2)
> Really, what is the end game here?
It's not about the end-game. It's about feeding their base with a very vocal lobby. Republicans since the [1]Southern Strategy [wikipedia.org] and the [2]"Moral Majority" [wikipedia.org] have relied on a religious base. This funds that religious bases' schools. Those religious people are also know that conversion rates of children are much higher than those of adults. (This also being the reason for "Vacation Bible School", "Good News Club", and religious camps.) Courting the religious demographic yields devoted voters. This allows for other pa
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy#Role_of_churches
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_Majority
Dumbing stuff down for reasons will do that (Score:1)
Be the reasons some nebulously defined "equity" or "stress relief" or just plain laziness on the part of teachers or administrators.
[1]https://www.bostonglobe.com/20... [bostonglobe.com]
[2]https://www.nytimes.com/2017/0... [nytimes.com]
Yeah...ask for less from all, you'll get less from all.
[1] https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/02/opinion/newton-schools-multilevel-classrooms-faculty-council/
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/education/edlife/overachievers-student-stress-in-high-school-.html
Re: (Score:1)
Re Boston Globe, at least they were willing to experiment with something different when the existing programs weren't working. And they admitted the experiment failed.
I find that a reasonable course of action, even if it hasn't produced results yet. It's what Vulcans would do. Klingons would just whip students harder and Ferengis would charter them all to corporations, where parents pay up front for "success".
Perhaps kids need an Amish-like camp that has no electricity and no gizmos.
Re: Dumbing stuff down for reasons will do that (Score:1)
The experiment was to see if water was wet or if fire is hot. Anyone who's sat in a classroom would be able to tell you tracking serves a purpose and removing it is unfair to everyone. In fact people did say it. But they were called names and ignored.
That's not the Vulcans. That's an episode of Lower Decks mistakenly produced from an unaired Beavis and Butthead script.
Re: (Score:3)
Neither of your two articles really back up what you are trying to say. Nor does the article that you are commenting on.
The first one being that an experimental multi-level math class program failed. There have been success stories in early elementary multi-level classes, especially in combined early grades. But a high school multi-level definitely not the norm and experimental. Also, the problem is a genuine one to be solved. There are many intelligent kids who had issues in elementary/middle school that a
Shit! Means RFK Jr. will... (Score:1)
use this as an excuse to ban something medical.
On the upside... (Score:2)
They have Tik Tok and will all become "influencers" anyway. No education required there!
From the ones who don't become influencers, subtract all the ones that will become pro athletes, famous actors, lottery winners, women who marry rich and other people of simply amazing aptitude and adventure.
For the ones still remaining, there is always ChatGPT. They can use that to do and find out ANYTHING, so they don't actually need to know how to do anything, or really know anything at all.
Then subtract all the ones
Re: (Score:1)
Since many kids have decided they won't have kids of their own, they may feel it's okay to slither through life on low-wage jobs.
The problem is the test (Score:2)
"National Assessment of Education Progress" is a flawed tool for measuring education value. It assumes that education requirements are static.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, yeah. The 'dynamic' education will allow synergy with AI-based information workflows empowered by laser-focused goals-based education.
Enough buzzwords? I can add more.
The reality of matter: STEM education requires a lot of effort. And the US schools discourage it. There is no need for any "dynamism" in school math, school students study stuff that hasn't changed in nearly 2 centuries by now.
Re: The problem is the test (Score:1)
Being able to read and write is very much a static requirement. So is being able to add two and two to get four.
Finding "Canada" on a map is also a static requirement. So far.
Re: (Score:2)
But neither is a static,
The reality is that most math calculations are done by computers. Being able to do calculations in your head is a skill most people will never use.This is not a question of whether kids need to understand math, its whether the test is actually directed at measuring that understanding. There are plenty of people who would argue kids are being taught to calculate because that is what is being tested. But they don't really understand the math.
As an example, if you ask me how to convert
It's a Shame (Score:5, Informative)
I've seen so much progress in the education field. It's being truly treated a science, and a lot of important research is being done to understand how we learn, and how to teach. Unfortunately, education in the US is highly politicized and most of that research is ignored in order to score political points.
Re: (Score:2)
I contend that you were aware of how stupid you post is, but for political reasons you want other people to believe this stupid bullshit, so you posted as AC.
TL;DR (Score:2)
Couldn't see the point behind this article.
Binary is hard (Score:1)
At least they know their gender... or not
Re: (Score:3)
None of these exist. Why do you Kidraping Fucking Republican Klan Inbreds do nothing but lie all day long? We should gas every one of you for the safety of children.
Re: (Score:1)
> None of these exist. Why do you Kidraping Fucking Republican Klan Inbreds do nothing but lie all day long? We should gas every one of you for the safety of children.
Oh, I forgot one:
“Restorative justice”: help the offender, not the victim. It’s inequitable to punish infractions. That might hurt someone’s feelings.
Here, let’s demonstrate:
My apologies for not recognizing your superiority, kindness, friendliness, and deep knowledge of pedological “advances”.
Re: (Score:2)
My goodness, you're so open and inclusive. With folks you like supporting public schools, I absolutely see why decent people do not want their kids in them.
School boards are local (Score:2)
School boards are local and reflect local voter demands, make of that what you will. The people are getting exactly what they voted for or failed to vote against.
Re: (Score:2)
School boards long ago lost any real control over education. Those decisions are made at the state and national level. We just had our governor order every school to ban cell phone use during school hours. I think they are right, but it used to be we trusted locally elected school boards to make those decisions in consultation with the superintendent, principle, teachers and parents. Now, there are mandates made by elected autocrats.
i just took the exams (Score:2)
Let's start with math.
I sampled all the questions marked hard.
I felt the questions were often obscurities for no valuable reason. It was as though they wanted to test reading comprehension rather than mathematics. As a dyslexic, I disapprove of this.
That said, there were no questions on the exam at any level that were more difficult than "sorta trivial". I think Khan Academy (I've watched every math video on the site as of 2021) covers every topic on the exam by 9th or 10th grade math.
Reading
Oh holy hell. I
So many things that contribute to this (Score:3)
No Child Left Behind - teach test taking, rather than subject matter or how to think.
Continually being told "all you have to do is believe" - and similar fake encouragements.
If you look attractive, you'll get into hollywood - why study anything?
If you are strong, you'll be in professional sports - why study anything?
Teachers' hands being tied in how they customize their lesson plans for the students they have.
Attention spans are __gone__.
I'm probably missing half a dozen.
Re: (Score:3)
No child Left behind was explicitly designed to sabotage schools so that the right wing could privatize them.
But the most recent decline is a side effect of covid. Meanwhile schools are having even more funding drained because of those absolutely appalling and disgusting School voucher programs, which are just a giveaway to the super rich since 99% of the takers or those vouchers are people that were already sending their kids to private schools.
Our entire civilization is collapsing slow motion and
Re: (Score:2)
> since 99% of the takers or those vouchers are people that were already sending their kids to private schools.
Also a way to circumvent separation of church and state.
Re:So many things that contribute to this (Score:5, Informative)
Also a way to circumvent separation of church and state.
BINGO. "School Vouchers" is just the Reich-Wing [1]White-Supremacist Shitbag Republican Party's [southerneducation.org] rebranding of [2]Segregation Academies. [dallasnews.com]
[1] https://southerneducation.org/publications/history-of-private-schools-and-race-in-the-american-south/
[2] https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2024/11/18/segregation-academies-across-the-south-are-getting-millions-in-taxpayer-dollars/
And desegregation (Score:2)
Let's not forget that the modern right wing in America was created because a racist running a Christian extremist school did not want to admit black students to his school. That's why the Christians suddenly got obsessed with abortion.
Seriously Google it the abortion issue didn't exist before desegregation. There's a straight line you can draw between desegregation and the moral panics around abortion and the right wing in general in America.
I know nobody wants to hear it but every time you see somethin
Re: (Score:3)
Rsilvergun is [1]100% correct. [politico.com] The "religious right" never gave a crap about abortion, they're just Fucking Crossburners in the line of Falwell.
[1] https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/05/10/abortion-history-right-white-evangelical-1970s-00031480
Re: (Score:1)
"School Voucher Programs" are just Segregation Academy bullshit. We all know what you Fucking Cross Burning Inbred Shit Sacks are on about with it.
Stick a shotgun in your face and pull the trigger you Fucking Crossburning Klan Shitbag.
Re: (Score:2)
Wow! So much hate. And so many assumptions!
Re: (Score:1)
Wow, you're a Fucking Cross Burner. Shoot yourself you disgusting fucking Inbred Klan Dog.
Re: (Score:2)
The irony of your sarcasm is it actually *is* horrible.
Water is good - necessary even - but too much water will kill you. Choice is the exact same way - it's entirely possible to have too much of it, as much as that contradicts an ethos buried deeply in the American id.
Re: (Score:2)
> I mean, that's just insane.
That is correct. This funneling of public money to private schools -- usually private religious schools -- is absolute insanity.
Re: (Score:3)
School vouchers are different than school choice.
School vouchers take money away from the public system to give to private and religious schools. It is one thing to get a choice in where to send your kid to school, it's different to ask everyone to pay for that private choice.
Re: (Score:2)
But demanding that everyone pay for your choice to have "public" schools is just fine.
Re: (Score:2)
You don't even try to make sense. You just structured nonsense as if it were a zinger. Do you think anyone here is stupid enough to think that you just made a real point?
Re: (Score:2)
Yes everyone pay since everyone benefits, even if you have no kids, or send yours somewhere else.
You still benefit from the neighbors kid not being an uneducated moron.
Re: (Score:2)
Right.
But apparently that same kid going to the school of a parent's choice doesn't have such a benefit. How interesting!
Re:So many things that contribute to this (Score:4, Informative)
The problem is that it's more than choice, but selective exit. The costs of those left behind are greater, such as the costs of Special Education. Conveniently those religious schools won't have to accept people with disabilities. Those voucher programs generally don't pay for the full cost of tuition (because public schools have economies of scale), so this ends up just being a tax cut on the affluent who would already pay for the tuition dressed up as aid for the poor who still can't attend.
But it boils down to: "I pay so your child becomes a literate citizen, not because I love your child, but because everyone benefits when everyone is educated." That's the value proposition for public education and that makes a lot less sense when the ask is for your child to be religiously indoctrinated instead.
Re: (Score:2)
> The problem is that it's more than choice, but selective exit. The costs of those left behind are greater, such as the costs of Special Education.
If a kid leaves a school, how does that increase the costs for all the other kids in the school?
> Conveniently those religious schools won't have to accept people with disabilities.
Maybe. But so what?
The disabled kids are not going there if the private school doesn't exist.
They're not going there if the school voucher program doesn't exist.
They're not going there whether anyone else from their school goes or not.
Their position is the exact same if a kid from their school goes to the private school as they are otherwise.
Because the disabled kid can't go, no other kid should be able to go eit
Re: (Score:2)
>> The problem is that it's more than choice, but selective exit. The costs of those left behind are greater, such as the costs of Special Education.
> If a kid leaves a school, how does that increase the costs for all the other kids in the school?
The fact that the public school budget is reduced when the kid leaves. Duh.
>> Conveniently those religious schools won't have to accept people with disabilities.
> Maybe. But so what?
Since it costs more to deal with students with disabilities, the religious schools selectively leave those students to the public schools. But take away the money. Therefore, expenses per student go up when the private schools selectively siphon off the ones with disabilities, which the law says that public schools must accept.
> ...
>> That's the value proposition for public education and that makes a lot less sense when the ask is for your child to be religiously indoctrinated instead.
> But not all private schools are religion-based.
About three quarters are. The money for school vouchers is overwhelmingly going to religious schools.
Re: (Score:2)
> School vouchers take money away from the public system to give to private and religious schools. It is one thing to get a choice in where to send your kid to school, it's different to ask everyone to pay for that private choice.
It depends. In aggregate, if 20-30 people leave the public school system, you have some meaningful cost savings -- you don't have the expenses of educating them. One less classroom to build and maintain, one less teacher to hire, fewer Chromebooks and handouts and so on. Maybe overcrowding is alleviated, or kids don't have to learn in portable trailers that cover up the ball field.
How much does the public school get per student in state funding? The smart voucher programs give the family a portion of th
Re: (Score:2)
This is completely ignorant of economies of scale. You can't get money back from unbuilding a classroom. Or each child subsidizes part of the cost of a school nurse or the special education department. And it's not 30 kids from the same grade so that it's easy to cut staff.
And that voucher that doesn't cover the full cost of education then means that it's a subsidy only for the wealthy who can pay the rest of the cost of tuition. Selective Exit.
> People interested in teaching can choose between public school and charter school and private school careers
That choice looks a lot bleaker when private schools pay teache
Re: (Score:2)
> That choice looks a lot bleaker when private schools pay teachers way less with worse benefits.
I have asked some of the teachers at our private school about this. Why take less money to work at a private school?
They all said the same thing. Compared to public, a private school requires much less administrative bullshit, and they can spend more of their time on stuff that actually matters to the students, on teaching, on lesson prep, etc. Every one.
All I can say is that usually, money talks. If people are willing to accept less to go somewhere else because of administrative bullshit, that administrat
Re: (Score:2)
>> ..absolutely appalling and disgusting School voucher programs...
> Yeah. How HORRIBLE that people have a choice over where to send their kid to school. I mean, that's just insane.
Segregation by choice (i.e., the choice with whom one wishes to associate and not associate) is a legal and moral right. That's not what is evil. What is evil is forcing everyone to fund that choice of segregation. Poor demographics already are underfunded, and this movement of money exacerbates that underfunding.
Re: So many things that contribute to this (Score:1)
You read minds so well. It's a wonder you're not spectacularly rich from one good night at the poker table.
Re: (Score:1)
Who needs to read minds? We have the OPEN STATEMENTS that the Crossburning Shit Rag Republicans made on the campaign trail and on the floor of the House and Senate. We know PRECISELY what you Fucking Cross Burning America Hating Anti-Education Pieces of Klan Shit said.
Now kill yourself RightWingFuckFace. Give yourself the prescribed punishment for treason in the Constitution. It's what you deserve, all know you're an America-Hating Valor Stealing Criminal SACK OF SHIT.
Re: (Score:2)
If this was the case , why was the bill cosponsored by Teddy Kennedy? You're deranged, sir.
Re: (Score:2)
> No Child Left Behind - teach test taking, rather than subject matter or how to think.
Oh, do fuck off. The teach-to-test is FINE for math. In fact, it's the absolutely best way to teach it. It's just that the tests _themselves_ have the consistency of wet toilet paper. And since they keep showing just how bad the US education is, they keep getting even mushier: [1]https://newsroom.collegeboard.... [collegeboard.org]
Bring gaokao to the US!
[1] https://newsroom.collegeboard.org/one-year-first-administration-march-2016-students-say-new-sat-makes-it-easier-show-their-best-work
Re: (Score:2)
The SAT isn't the standard test for NCLB. That blog post is marketing fluff to encourage students to take the SAT over the ACT because they make money on each student who takes the test. So students not wanting to take it because students perceive it to be hard loses them customers. As long as the test is fair, whether it's hard or not, allows a comparison within a cohort. That doesn't have anything to do with the rigor of high school leading up to that test or college acceptance rates/criteria.
I also think
Re: (Score:2)
> The teach-to-test is FINE for math. In fact, it's the absolutely best way to teach it.
Depends on the test doesn't it? A test that measures skills in long division and multiplication may not be a great measure of understanding algebra.
Re: (Score:2)
> No Child Left Behind - teach test taking, rather than subject matter or how to think.
While this is a common meme in /., one has to wonder, after so many years of NCLB, kids still fail at tests and getting worse.
So exactly what kind of "test taking" was NCLB teaching? Definitely not the kind that makes kids better at taking tests from we can see in the results.
Re: (Score:1)
Religion sabotaging education as it is harder to convert/hold onto converts if they get well educated.