U.S. fourth- and eighth-graders are struggling with math after COVID-19 prompted school closures across the country, a new report shows.
“I would call these declines sharp and steep,” said a commissioner at an agency within the U.S. Department of Education, Peggy Carr, according to a Wall Street Journal report. “Something we need to be concerned about is that this is not just the impact of the pandemic.”
American students took the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) along with students from other countries, with countries like Finland and England surpassing the US in math and science respectively.
NEW REPORT SHOWS NEARLY 70% OF BIDEN ADMIN ENFORCEMENT FOCUSED ON CHRISTIAN AND CAREER COLLEGES
U.S. fourth- and eighth-graders are struggling with math after COVID-19 prompted school closures across the country, a new report shows. (iStock)
Some teachers point to change trends in American education possible concerns.
“As we emerged from Covid, parents and students became comfortable with the idea that it’s OK to stay home,” Suzan Harris, a high school principal in Georgia, told the Journal.
According to the Journal, scores for American students fell after years of gains, and fell even faster compared to other countries in eighth-grade math and fourth-grade science.
School systems across the country, including in Chicago, are facing a tightening of lockdowns “chronic absenteeism” of students and even teachers who missed more than 10 days of the 2023-2024 school year.
Some education experts argue that the U.S. education gaps cannot be easily resolved. (iStock)
State data shows that more than 41% of Chicago Public School (CPS) teachers were absent more than 10 days last year. Chicago Tribune reported.
Some education experts argue that the U.S. education gaps cannot be easily resolved.
“It takes a certain amount of time to teach the Pythagorean theorem,” he said. “Teachers can’t just talk faster.”
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As President-elect Donald Trump continues to assemble his Cabinet before taking office on January 20, his education policies became a subject of debate after he announced his intention to appoint Linda McMahon to head the Department of Education.
McMahon, the former head of World Wrestling Entertainment, will likely lead an effort to reduce the federal government’s involvement in student education if she is successfully appointed.
Josh Nelson of Fox News contributed to this report.
