CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY OCTOBER 25, 2022
THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS HAS RELEASED ITS ANNUAL REPORT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF FOURTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS IN CRITICAL SUBJECTS.
THE NAEP HAS FOUND STUDENTS IN MOST STATES AND ACROSS ALL DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS HAVE EXPERIENCED TROUBLING SETBACKS IN MATH AND READING. IN MATH, RESULTS WERE ESPECIALLY DEVASTATING, REPRESENTING THE DEEPEST DECLINES EVER RECORDED.
NOT ALL OF IT IS THE FAULT OF THE PANDEMIC. MATH AND READING PROFICIENCY WERE DECLINING BEFORE COVID STRUCK.
THE REPORT FOUND SCORES FOR EIGHTH GRADERS FELL IN ALMOST EVERY STATE. A MEAGER 26 PERCENT OF EIGHTH GRADERS WERE PROFICIENT, DOWN FROM 34 PERCENT IN 2019. JUST 36 PERCENT OF FOURTH GRADERS WERE PROFICIENT IN MATH, DOWN FROM 41 PERCENT.
FORMER FLORIDA GOVERNOR JEB BUSH, WHO INITIATED SCHOOL CHOICE THAT HAS SPREAD ELSEWHERE, WROTE IN YESTERDAY’S WALL STREET JOURNAL URGING MORE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT. TUTORS WOULD ALSO HELP KIDS CATCH UP ALONG MORE EMPHASIS ON READING 20 MINUTES A DAY.
NAEP DATA ALSO SHOW THAT PRIVATE SCHOOLS SCORE BETTER IN ALMOST ALL SUBJECTS. ALSO, GET RID OF SUBJECTS THAT HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH LEARNING AND MORE TO DO WITH SECULAR PROGRESSIVE INDOCTRINATION. I’M CAL THOMAS.
