ACT test scores drop to lowest in 30 years in pandemic slide
PHOENIX — Scores on the ACT college admissions test by this year’s high school graduates hit their lowest point in more than 30 years —...
www.post-gazette.com
While Leftists continually discount the value of standardized test scores, the reality is that these measures are the only credible way of assessing the performance of American K-12 schools. Not all students take the ACT or SAT, so statistically speaking they are not necessarily representative of all public school students, but the data are depressing nevertheless.
And they suck.
The linked article makes the predictable case that much of the current negative blip is attributable to the Pandemic - or more accurately, the State schools' irrational response to the Pandemic - but private and parochial schools heroically managed to carry on. Perversely, there is no data indicating that THOSE students or their family members suffered any ill effects (literally) from the kids going to school during the Pandemic.
As individual parents, one need not despair about the dreadful state of American public schools generally. You can move to a neighborhood with good academics, or enroll your kid is whatever classes are available for students who want "a little bit more" education for their tax dollars, or simply be a good parent and make the most of the situation. "School choice" measures might work in your favor where they are allowed to exist.
The Democrat solution to situations like this - played out all over America if you look closely - is to lower the standards to make everyone look better. I wonder that the [unconstitutional] Department of Education could do, other than throw barrels of money at the problem.
