American students are getting dumber
5 hours ago
- #accountability
- #education
- #negativity bias
- Mass media's negativity bias is driven by audience behavior, affecting mental health.
- 12th-grade NAEP reading scores in 2022 were the worst since 1992, showing a decline in educational performance.
- The pandemic disrupted schooling globally, with prolonged closures worsening outcomes, though some areas like Washington, D.C., show recovery.
- No demographic subgroups showed significant improvement, with declines across all ability levels, especially among weaker students.
- About a third of high school seniors struggle with basic reading comprehension, unable to understand prose text.
- International PISA data from 2022 shows a global decline in student performance post-pandemic, with the U.S. performing above average among rich countries.
- Federal K-12 policy shifted away from accountability post-No Child Left Behind, leading to declines, especially among weaker students.
- Teachers and schools lack incentives to adopt best practices without accountability, leading to lower standards and cheaper, less effective methods.
- Parental optimism and lack of accurate feedback contribute to the disconnect between perceived and actual student performance.
- Reading and educational engagement are declining nationally, with digital distractions and lack of serious focus on educational goals exacerbating the problem.
- Chronic absenteeism and school refusal, along with reduced child welfare interventions, have worsened educational outcomes.