A weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else — from the nation’s leading voice on education innovation and opportunity.

US SCORES DROP AGAIN. The results of the 2019 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) are nothing short of SHOCKING.  Scores in 4th and 8th grade reading math either declined or flatlined for most groups. Proficiency on the Nation's Report Card is defined as the ability to “demonstrate solid academic performance and competency over challenging subject matter.” The fact that this label applies to way more than half of American students is a travesty.  Only 35 percent of 4th grade and 34 percent of 8th grade students performed at or above the proficient level in NAEP reading, and 41 percent of 4th grade and 34 percent of 8th grade students performed at or above the proficient level in NAEP math,” and that’s not reflecting the declining performance of historically low performers, precisely the students we should worry the most about. In what world are these acceptable results?

STATE BY STATE the numbers are disheartening at best.   We could fill books with words of exasperation from around the country about the numbers, but we’ll share just this one from Nevada Action for School Options, which points out that forget proficiency, more than a third of their kids are below BASIC competency in core subjects!  “For eighth grade students, scoring at “below basic” levels on NAEP is usually considered a distressing predictor that these students will fail to graduate high school on time.”  Oh education establishment?  Is anyone paying attention? 

PARENTS ARE FED UP.   Just one example among hundreds  courtesy of Chris “Citizen Ed” Stewart whose edupost.org brings what’s real to what’s wrong. These Nashville mothers and parents are fed up with no action from leaders whose zip code “boasts” some of the highest rates of incarceration in the nation.

Source: educationpost.org | Taneesha Peeples

MISS VIRGINIA GETS IT.  Virginia Walden Ford who became a national leader for educational options and the subject upon which the recently released motion picture Miss Virginia is based called the results “a wake up call about the urgent need to expand school choice.” The Nashville parents no doubt agree. 

WILL BETO – ONCE AGAIN – ALSO GET IT? A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away – well actually just a couple of years ago in Texas – Beto O’Rourke was a strong defender of charter schools while a Congressman from El Paso. Alas he sacrificed his beliefs on the altar of politics when he ran for President, changing his tune to be a faithful parrot for the unions.  Now that he has more time to spend at home, let’s hope he gets some instruction from his wife. Amy O’Rourke is a former charter school leader and currently sits on the board of  CREED, a local education reform group that among other things supports expanding charter schools in El Paso. Beto, you should always remember that Mothers Knows Best! 

MICHIGAN’S GOVERNOR DOESN’T GET IT. She vetoed a legislative increase in funding for charters that doesn’t even bring them to parity, though it would have brought them closer to having what tax paying families who choose charters want for their kids - equity and results.  Just consider that students in the Motor City have scored the worst in the country among 27 urban districts rated by the NAEP.  Meanwhile, desperate for options, 46% of Detroit students attend charters that Governor Whitmer refuses to support.

AND DETROIT CHARTERS ARE AMONG THE 12 HIGHEST SCORING HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE CITY

LAKER STAR CREDITS HIS CHARTER.  L.A. Laker star Anthony Davis gives credit for his success to Perspectives Charter School in Chicago. If you’re looking for a feel-good, real life story, this is it.  The last sentence sums it up, “Davis is the Lakers’ next great hope, thousands of miles from where his playing days started, at a little school that didn’t even have a gym.” All because his low income parents had the freedom to choose what they thought was best for their child.  What a concept.

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