Almost 70% of eighth graders in public schools fail proficiency in English & math

The United States continues to fail our children in public schools in cranking out children who are below basic proficiency in both math and English. With an increasingly competitive economy demanding higher levels of skills, we are leaving most of our children in a position with dwindling opportunities and futures.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress test results released by the U.S. Department of Education, sixty-five percent of the eighth graders in American public schools in 2017 were not proficient in reading and 67 percent were not proficient in mathematics. That dire situation is even worse in cities like Detroit.

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bellisarius said:

But they max out on political correctness.

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TalkRadio said:

https://jonathanturley.org/2018/05/...proficiently-in-english-and-math/#more-135153

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Comshaw said:

Total Chicken Little bullshit. The author says that school are,"...cranking out children who are below basic proficiency in both math and English..." When in reality Basic and Proficient
are two separate levels of attainment on the NAEP tests. The average score for all the students who took the test were above the Basic level while none rose to the proficient mark, with good reason. The first is because the score used is an average of all those taking the test, not the top scores. The second is the description of those levels from Basic to Advanced. Below you'll find the description from the NAEP website for each. They also have test questions for those who would like to see how they fair with the test. I can guarantee that 50% or more of those here would score no better (including me) then the 8th graders did. What does that say about your level of education and intelligence? Not a fucking thing. When you get into the higher levels of math it's a very select field and isn't used in many if not most professions unless you're a Sheldon Cooper.

As I said, Chicken Little Bullshit.

Basic (262)
Eighth-grade students performing at the Basic level should exhibit evidence of conceptual and procedural understanding in the five NAEP content areas. This level of performance signifies an understanding of arithmetic operations—including estimation—on whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and percents.

Eighth-graders performing at the Basic level should complete problems correctly with the help of structural prompts such as diagrams, charts, and graphs. They should be able to solve problems in all NAEP content areas through the appropriate selection and use of strategies and technological tools—including calculators, computers, and geometric shapes. Students at this level also should be able to use fundamental algebraic and informal geometric concepts in problem solving.

As they approach the Proficient level, students at the Basic level should be able to determine which of the available data are necessary and sufficient for correct solutions and use them in problem solving. However, these eighth-graders show limited skill in communicating mathematically.

Proficient (299)
Eighth-grade students performing at the Proficient level should apply mathematical concepts and procedures consistently to complex problems in the five NAEP content areas.

Eighth-graders performing at the Proficient level should be able to conjecture, defend their ideas, and give supporting examples. They should understand the connections between fractions, percents, decimals, and other mathematical topics such as algebra and functions. Students at this level are expected to have a thorough understanding of Basic level arithmetic operations—an understanding sufficient for problem solving in practical situations.

Quantity and spatial relationships in problem solving and reasoning should be familiar to them, and they should be able to convey underlying reasoning skills beyond the level of arithmetic. They should be able to compare and contrast mathematical ideas and generate their own examples. These students should make inferences from data and graphs, apply properties of informal geometry, and accurately use the tools of technology. Students at this level should understand the process of gathering and organizing data and be able to calculate, evaluate, and communicate results within the domain of statistics and probability.


Advanced (333)
Eighth-grade students performing at the Advanced level should be able to reach beyond the recognition, identification, and application of mathematical rules in order to generalize and synthesize concepts and principles in the five NAEP content areas.

Eighth-graders performing at the Advanced level should be able to probe examples and counterexamples in order to shape generalizations from which they can develop models. Eighth-graders performing at the Advanced level should use number sense and geometric awareness to consider the reasonableness of an answer. They are expected to use abstract thinking to create unique problem-solving techniques and explain the reasoning processes underlying their conclusions.

https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/mathematics/achieve.aspx#grade8

Sample questions are here:

https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/math_2017/#/sample-questions?grade=8


Comshaw

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OldJourno said:

Interpret the results as you wish, the fact is our students perform poorly against students from many other industrialized nations.
Is it a big deal? I don't know. As long as we produce a certain number of proficient engineers, doctors and other science types I suppose we'll be OK. But I fear current policy is not helping many students.
I cite as an example my daughter, who teaches second grade in Arizona. One of her students is impaired or however you care to characterize it. Bottom line is my daughter has to hold and hug this boy constantly to keep him from going off.
This kid and others like him should not be in classrooms.

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