Another year brings another disappointing National School Report card on American students' test scores. After declining during the COVID school shutdowns, scores have not improved. The Committee to Unleash Prosperity highlights that the large federal funding for schools meant to aid COVID recovery has failed to enhance outcomes while benefiting teachers’ unions financially. Test scores are at an all-time low, with eighth graders’ reading scores dropping from 263 in 2019 to 258 in 2024, representing a setback of 33 years of progress. Math scores have remained stagnant but are still lower than five years ago.
The lowest achievers are performing even worse, creating a widening gap between them and the top-performing students. Education expert Chad Aldeman traces this back to changes made during the Obama administration that relaxed the standards established by the No Child Left Behind Act. The relaxing of standards has resulted in fewer students achieving success, and there are fears that the current learning losses could harm future earnings and hinder economic growth in the U. S. Estimates indicate that the combined income loss for U. S. schoolchildren could reach $2 trillion, affecting lifetime earnings by 2 to 9 percent depending on the state.
The overall performance of schools has declined despite significant spending, raising questions about how to solve these issues. The blame is placed on poor public school administrators and ineffective teachers’ unions, which have turned educational institutions into places of political indoctrination rather than centers of learning. The negative impact of COVID shutdowns has exacerbated these problems, with many students receiving remote education instead of traditional in-person schooling.
Despite a massive $190 billion investment in schools during the pandemic, educational outcomes have worsened, while the power and resources of teachers’ unions and ineffective administrators have increased. As parents withdraw their children from public school systems (while still paying taxes), student attendance continues to drop, with 1. 3 million fewer students attending U. S. schools since 2019, despite a rise in the number of teachers and administrators.
The U. S. Education Department has been deemed ineffective in improving education, leading to calls for reform. There was no Education Department for the first 200 years of the nation, yet it thrived in various fields, which raises the question of the necessity of its current $90 billion budget. The Department’s focus has shifted more towards financial disbursement rather than actual education.
To address these challenges, there is a strong push for policy reforms that empower parents and local communities, reducing the influence of teachers’ unions and administrators. This includes advocating for more charter schools, Education Savings Accounts, vouchers, and school choice. Creating a competitive education marketplace for families is viewed as essential for improving the system.
Recent initiatives in Congress are seen as positive steps toward enhancing school choice and relieving public schools from bureaucratic constraints. The Trump administration's efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion policies within the Education Department are also noted as a necessary change.
The future of the country heavily relies on the education of the younger generation, and there is a growing sentiment that it should not be controlled by teachers’ unions and administrators who have contributed to the decline of the educational system. The editorial calls for continued changes to ensure that students receive the quality education they deserve.
https://issuesinsights.com/2025/01/31/test-scores-take-another-dive-will-anyone-be-held-accountable/
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