The results from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) measures the long-term academic performances of America’s fourth grade, eighth grade, and high school seniors. The NAEP is considered the “gold standard” of assessments because of its “high technical quality.”
The 2020 results from the NAEP are in and they are not at all impressive. Only about 1 in 3 fourth graders (35%) nationwide can read proficiently. Reading for eighth graders sits at 1 in 3 (34%) reading proficiently. Our nation’s seniors scored similarly at 37% reading proficiently.
Math scores for our 4th graders were concerning at 41%, less than half of students, performing proficiently in math. Eighth graders scored lower with only 34% of eighth graders performing proficiently in math. High school seniors showed the most alarming scores with only 24% of high school seniors performing proficiently.
These are pre-COVID19 scores and include all students, all races, all financial situations and both sexes. This includes all districts and all schools. It’s tempting to believe these problems are somewhere far away, but they aren’t.
Adding to the problem of academic failure is the loss of instruction related to COVID19, the rush to online learning, the loss of teachers through increased attrition, illness or otherwise, and the lack of a definite time things will return to normal. Students are failing and falling farther behind.
There are no easy answers that will fix the failure in our nation’s public schools. The failure shared above has persisted for decades. No political party has been able to change this trajectory of failure in the past. We cannot gamble with our children’s education and futures waiting to see if public education will improve.
Now more than ever, it is critical for parents to know what is happening with their children’s learning. Online learning showed many parents what their kids knew and didn’t know. I caution parents to not get comfortable because their children are back in the classroom. Parents cannot afford to assume their children are learning because they are in school every day.
Parents, interact with your children through reading, writing and critical thinking. Can your child read? Does he/ she understand what was read? Can your child take information and apply it in real world situations?
Consider your child’s writing. Is it reasonably neat? How’s your child’s spelling? Can your child correctly use punctuation, capital letters and margins? The aforementioned statistics represent someone’s children. Don’t let that be your child. Always know what your child can do and should be able to do. If you feel like there is a concern, meet with your child’s teachers immediately.
Statistics like these require parents to supplement their children’s education to ensure their kids succeed. Failure to work with your child at home may very well render your child an alarming statistic. For more information visit: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard
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