Yesterday, in a spasm of optimism, I suggested that a third
of American schoolchildren barely knew how to read. In truth, as I learned, the
number is closer to two thirds. That means, two thirds of American
schoolchildren cannot read at grade level.
For those who were touting the wondrous advantages of Common Core curriculum reform, these results suggest that they were
wrong. We already know that Johnny and Janey cannot count. Now, apparently,
they cannot read. It would appear that children have become dumber since Common
Core was introduced.
Anyway, for those who like the data, a New York Times
article last year has the gloomy story.
America’s fourth and eighth graders are losing ground in
their ability to read literature and academic texts, according to a rigorous
national assessment released Wednesday that is likely to fuel concerns over
student achievement after decades of tumult on the educational landscape.
Two out of three children did not meet the standards for
reading proficiency set by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a
test administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, the research
arm of the Education Department.
The dismal results reflected the performance of about
600,000 students in reading and math, whose scores made up what is called the “nation’s
report card.” The average eighth-grade reading score declined in
more than half of the states compared with 2017, the last time the test was
given. The average score in fourth-grade reading declined in 17 states. Math
scores remained relatively flat in most states.
Only 35 percent of fourth graders were proficient in
reading in 2019, down from 37 percent in 2017; 34 percent of eighth graders
were proficient in reading, down from 36 percent. Overall student progress in
reading has stalled in the last decade, with the highest performers stagnating
and the lowest-achieving students falling further behind.
Is it not remarkable that the highest performing students
have been stagnating while the lowest-achieving students have been falling
behind? Doesn’t this sound like the result of the policies instituted by
intrepid educational policymakers who want to close what they call the
achievement gap by eliminating school tracking and merit based school
assignments?
At the least, I feel compelled to set the record straight.
If we think that we are going to compete with the nations of Asia with a school
population that can barely read or count, we are seriously deluded.
8 comments:
This is not only a matter of economics....people who can't or don't like to read anything anything of any complexity are less-likely to be intelligent voters. This is a major reason why memes are becoming so important as a means of communication and persuasion.
More here: Meme Wars
https://chicagoboyz.net/archives/61700.html
You might even think that curricula in the US are written and promulgated by the country's enemies.
Ok, so it’s CoronaVirus or bust.
I just wonder what my role will be in the new Idiocrasy? Just kidding, Long live Ubu the King and his army of Twitter meat puppets.
On another note, have you tried to talk to one of these students lately? Ma Ubu works with them. I meet sometimes. All I can think of is “dinner”
But they sure feel good about themselves.
This is nothing to do with the post, but not sure how else I might share this article:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/the-nuclear-family-was-a-mistake/605536/
One of the reasons I dislike the NEA is that they were the ones who brought Howard Zinn 9into the classroom. They did it, in most cases, surreptitiously. I would posit that they did it to destroy this country's culture and to justify their hatred of this country, especially during the 60s.
Peter B, I blame the Democrats and all of the Left. Which includes Zinn.
Anon, I gave up on The Atlantic some years ago.
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