(Presidentialwire.com)- In the 53-year history of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the 2022 mathematics test scores for primary school students in the United States decreased by the most extensive margins.
Peggy G. Carr, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) commissioner, reports that the magnitude and breadth of the decline in mathematics are unprecedented and demonstrate the pandemic’s devastating impact on student learning.
The fourth-grade reading scores of Native Americans declined by seven points, the most of any group. At the fourth-grade level, Blacks and Hispanics experienced the largest drop, seven points, in mathematics proficiency.
Only Utah and Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools located on U.S. military bases around the world experienced no significant change in their math scores.
According to the NCES, in every tested group, females experienced more significant declines in reading and mathematics scores than males, with fourth- and eighth-grade females losing at least two points in both subjects. Despite experiencing larger overall score declines, females maintained higher overall reading scores at both grade levels.
Reports show the Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona, stated that these results are unacceptable. He said it was evidence the pandemic had hit us. Eric Gordon, superintendent of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, expressed concern that the nation would lose focus on catching the students up. Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of schools in Los Angeles and member of the National Assessment Governing Board, stated that they must remain committed to high standards and expectations.
The percentage of students performing below the NAEP basic level increased across all subjects and grade levels at the national level. In mathematics, 38 percent of eighth-graders and 25 percent of fourth-graders scored below the NAEP Basic level. The eighth-grade mathematics scores declined regardless of race, gender, or previous academic performance.
The performance of students in public schools, private schools, Department of Defense (DoD) schools, and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools reflects the results of educational testing administered to students in the United States.
If it’s possible, it’s better to homeschool your children rather than send them out to fail.
