What’s new
Like the results of recent tests of young studentsThe math and reading achievement of 13-year-olds in the United States has hit its lowest level in decades, according to test scores released today from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the gold-standard federal exam.
The last time a 13-year-old student got this low in math was in 1990. In terms of reading, 2004.
Performance has dropped significantly since the 2019-2020 school year, as the coronavirus pandemic ravaged the nation’s education system. But the downward trend reported today began years before the health crisis, raising questions about a decade of disappointing results for American students.
The federally standardized test, known as the NAEP, was introduced last fall and focuses on basic skills. The 13-year-olds scored an average of 256 out of 500 in reading and 271 out of 500 in math, down from averages of 260 in reading and 280 in math three years ago.
Performance declines by race, class, and geography. But especially in math, vulnerable kids — including black, Native American, and low-income students — experienced larger declines.
Why it matters: The 13-year-old missed a pivotal moment in school.
Many studies show that most American children have difficulty learning during the pandemic. It is clear that low-income students of color have been hardest hit by school closures and distance learning, which in some counties lasted more than a year.
The latest NAEP results are the federal government’s final official release of pandemic disability data. Scores complement educators’ understanding of the challenges ahead for children of different ages and demographic groups.
The 13-year-olds who took this version of the NAEP exam last fall were all 10 years old — and in fourth or fifth grade — when the pandemic began. Many people are old enough to participate in distance learning without adult help every minute, as young children often need it.
But ages 10 to 13 are also a critical period for mastering foundational skills, from multiplication to recognizing the emotions of characters in a short narrative passage.
“The bottom line – these results show that there are worrying gaps in the basic skills of those taking the test,” said Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, which administers the NAEP exam. this student. “This is a large-scale challenge facing the country.”
Background: The test allows comparisons between years.
In the highly decentralized U.S. education system, the NAEP is one of the few consistent tests given across states over many years, making the results easily comparable.
Test scores do not result in any reward or punishment for students, teachers, or schools, making them particularly useful for research purposes, as there is little incentive to cheat or teach. in more test.
However, some education experts believe that there is too much focus on NAEP. They point out that the content of the tests, in many cases, has little overlap with the material actually being taught in classrooms across the country.
What’s next?
A student survey that was released alongside the test has come up with other interesting results that will cause a stir among educators. The percentage of 13-year-olds enrolled in algebra has dropped to 24% from 34% in 2012. In some counties and states, especially CaliforniaThere was an attempt to balance math education by placing fewer eighth graders in advanced math.
The percentage of 13-year-olds reporting reading for pleasure has also decreased. Last fall, 31% said they “never or almost never” read for fun, compared with 22% in 2012.
