I would respectfully suggest that no amount of money or doubling down on time and curriculum is going to solve this. What's that quote by Einstein? "'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
The experience of school that we deliver to kids was built for a world that no longer exists, and, frankly, it's built on practices that are in direct opposition to the ways in which young humans (and old ones) actually learn. And we all know it but deny it.
If you ask people what conditions need to be present for them to learn powerfully and deeply, every one of them (you that's reading this included) will say things like the learning has to be relevant, it has a real purpose, there is a flow state, it's fun (even if it's hard fun), it's not time constrained (or age, or discipline), there is freedom and choice to learn in, etc. And yet in schools, the conditions most prevalent are age groupings, desks in rows, 50-minute blocks, motivation by grades, "handing it in," no choice in what or when or how to learn, etc.
To quote Russel Ackoff, in education we're constantly trying to do "the wrong thing righter." And "the righter you are at doing the wrong thing, the wronger you get."
I know there are layers of challenges for teachers. I was one for 25 years. I get it. This isn't about the teachers, however. It's about a system and a narrative that is addicted to a definition of "success" that is unsustainable. And until that changes, until we create experiences that actually comport to how kids learn, NAEP scores will never get better.
Did instruction get more rote, less motivation by grades, etc. since 2013? If anything I’d say it got less this way as schools have leaned away from the type of instruction you’re describing here.
How are the scores in cultures that have the most rigidity, rote drilling and expectation of compliance (those in east Asia?) Do Asian Americans (highest performances) do less of that than other groups?
One thing that needs to be explained: If tests measure things beyond a student’s knowledge of a subject—such as anxiety about failure, shame from being forced to take tests, and fear of punishment—while failing to account for knowledge they have of that same topic *not* included in the test, then why should test scores be considered a meaningful measure of learning?
One of the more disheartening truths about the headlines and analysis about the NAEP scores is that the world is being intentionally designed for instant gratification and the only spaces where people are actively fighting to engage students for sustained periods of time (with outdated learning models for the most part) is in schools. More so, teachers see these results and somehow, somewhere deep inside of them, look at the scores as an opportunity to help kids improve. It's worth celebrating.
We won't shift out of 3-second videos and clickable headlines. We can, though, shift a model of industrial education to one that better reflects what students need today—one with deep, relevant learning experiences, some AI literacy for career readiness, and the simple acknowledgement that the person sitting next to you learns differently for a whole range of reasons.
Three issues that your analysis doesn't consider in analyzing the results of the NAEP:
1. Changing demographics: in recent years, more ELL students enter schools with no English and, in MA at least, have to take the state standardized test after one year in the U.S. It takes approximately five years for a newcomer to achieve academic mastery in English. So test scores reflect the point in their journey to mastery, and that it is demeaned rather than an accepted reality. Just as we would likely not pass a test in Japan after being in the country for a year, the same is true for ELL students who take the same test as native English speakers.
2. In the past, school districts used some shifty tactics to improve the test results. Students with individual educational plans (students with a learning disability) were not included in the testing cohort. I was asked (and refused) to identify students I didn't think would perform well on the test so that they could be removed from the test. That does not happen anymore. All students take the test.
3. Scores dropped once the tests were completed on a computer. During the pilot testing period in my district, some schools took the test on a computer and some schools still used the paper/pencil version. Both cohorts of students took the exact same test. In all cases, the students who did the paper/pencil version did significantly better than those who took the test on the computer. Educators knew this, but it was never reported in the media.
I think it's a shame that the hard work of excellent, creative educators is reduced to a standardized test score. Perhaps it's why so many people are leaving the profession and the precipitous drop in the number of those entering it.
I have yet to see a compelling argument why this number is important or why I should care, why line goes up is good and line goes down is bad. Were schools getting better before they stayed getting worse? I don't remember anyone thinking so. All I remember is an un-ending stream of handwringing about how we're failing our children, No Child Left Behind, charter schools, vouchers, etc. And in the meantime, kids have been growing up and turning out completely fine for decades.
School is just not that important. It isn't. None of this stuff matters one tenth as much as people think.
Implementation of the Common Core Curriculum! It was (and is) the worst drivel that I have ever seen. Teach to the test became what the school day was about. Forget history, Science, Music/Art....it was ALL about getting the correct answers on standardized test in ELA and Math. No more reading books...only excerpts. No more learning basic math skills (yes, it's rote learning, but VERY necessary). ll a kid needs in order
Many schools don’t have enough money and sometimes spend it on quick fixes instead of long-term improvements. The old curricula and teaching methods are outdated and don’t keep up with the modern world. And teachers are super stressed out.
On top of that, there’s a lot of teacher turnover, so we’re losing experienced educators who know how to teach. And the policies we have don’t seem to be working. It’s like trying to fix a leaky roof with a bucket.
At home, many families are struggling financially. When parents have multiple jobs or have financial problems, it’s hard to create a stable learning environment. And kids don’t get as much help with homework or guidance as they should.
Plus, kids who don’t get a good start in early childhood education struggle to catch up later. This hits their academic performance for years to come.
And let’s not forget about all these distractions in the digital world. Smartphones, social media, and endless online content make it hard for students to focus on their studies. Short attention spans and the urge to get instant gratification can really mess with their learning.
And let’s be honest, cultural changes also play a role. When entertainment and quick information take over, the old-school emphasis on hard work and study can lose its appeal.
I follow your articles and am amazed how the eduction 'reformers' continue to believe that mere tinkering around the edges will somehow make a noticeable difference in education outcomes... I am a former HS Social Studies teacher who was a member of the CO Legislature for 14 years and was the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Education Committee... I worked for DFER (Democrats for Education Reform) during the Obama years and when DFER was dismantled and our staff was trimmed I assumed it was because the 'reformers' assumed victory was at hand and that they had achieved their goals...??? REALLY???? to anyone who has ever taught in the classroom and aware of the changes afoot with social media that was a ridiculous notion...contact me when a serious effort at reform begins anew: rontupa@mac.com
Thank you for the analysis and insights (I'd only just skimmed the headlines on this before). I'm afraid that this is going to feed into the narrative around abolishing the DoE. What are your thoughts on that? How can we fight against it?
I would respectfully suggest that no amount of money or doubling down on time and curriculum is going to solve this. What's that quote by Einstein? "'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
The experience of school that we deliver to kids was built for a world that no longer exists, and, frankly, it's built on practices that are in direct opposition to the ways in which young humans (and old ones) actually learn. And we all know it but deny it.
If you ask people what conditions need to be present for them to learn powerfully and deeply, every one of them (you that's reading this included) will say things like the learning has to be relevant, it has a real purpose, there is a flow state, it's fun (even if it's hard fun), it's not time constrained (or age, or discipline), there is freedom and choice to learn in, etc. And yet in schools, the conditions most prevalent are age groupings, desks in rows, 50-minute blocks, motivation by grades, "handing it in," no choice in what or when or how to learn, etc.
To quote Russel Ackoff, in education we're constantly trying to do "the wrong thing righter." And "the righter you are at doing the wrong thing, the wronger you get."
I know there are layers of challenges for teachers. I was one for 25 years. I get it. This isn't about the teachers, however. It's about a system and a narrative that is addicted to a definition of "success" that is unsustainable. And until that changes, until we create experiences that actually comport to how kids learn, NAEP scores will never get better.
Just my two cents.
Did instruction get more rote, less motivation by grades, etc. since 2013? If anything I’d say it got less this way as schools have leaned away from the type of instruction you’re describing here.
How are the scores in cultures that have the most rigidity, rote drilling and expectation of compliance (those in east Asia?) Do Asian Americans (highest performances) do less of that than other groups?
Are you sure you’re following Einstein’s warning?
I wonder if smartphone uptake plays any part?
Most definitely.
One thing that needs to be explained: If tests measure things beyond a student’s knowledge of a subject—such as anxiety about failure, shame from being forced to take tests, and fear of punishment—while failing to account for knowledge they have of that same topic *not* included in the test, then why should test scores be considered a meaningful measure of learning?
One of the more disheartening truths about the headlines and analysis about the NAEP scores is that the world is being intentionally designed for instant gratification and the only spaces where people are actively fighting to engage students for sustained periods of time (with outdated learning models for the most part) is in schools. More so, teachers see these results and somehow, somewhere deep inside of them, look at the scores as an opportunity to help kids improve. It's worth celebrating.
We won't shift out of 3-second videos and clickable headlines. We can, though, shift a model of industrial education to one that better reflects what students need today—one with deep, relevant learning experiences, some AI literacy for career readiness, and the simple acknowledgement that the person sitting next to you learns differently for a whole range of reasons.
Three issues that your analysis doesn't consider in analyzing the results of the NAEP:
1. Changing demographics: in recent years, more ELL students enter schools with no English and, in MA at least, have to take the state standardized test after one year in the U.S. It takes approximately five years for a newcomer to achieve academic mastery in English. So test scores reflect the point in their journey to mastery, and that it is demeaned rather than an accepted reality. Just as we would likely not pass a test in Japan after being in the country for a year, the same is true for ELL students who take the same test as native English speakers.
2. In the past, school districts used some shifty tactics to improve the test results. Students with individual educational plans (students with a learning disability) were not included in the testing cohort. I was asked (and refused) to identify students I didn't think would perform well on the test so that they could be removed from the test. That does not happen anymore. All students take the test.
3. Scores dropped once the tests were completed on a computer. During the pilot testing period in my district, some schools took the test on a computer and some schools still used the paper/pencil version. Both cohorts of students took the exact same test. In all cases, the students who did the paper/pencil version did significantly better than those who took the test on the computer. Educators knew this, but it was never reported in the media.
I think it's a shame that the hard work of excellent, creative educators is reduced to a standardized test score. Perhaps it's why so many people are leaving the profession and the precipitous drop in the number of those entering it.
I have yet to see a compelling argument why this number is important or why I should care, why line goes up is good and line goes down is bad. Were schools getting better before they stayed getting worse? I don't remember anyone thinking so. All I remember is an un-ending stream of handwringing about how we're failing our children, No Child Left Behind, charter schools, vouchers, etc. And in the meantime, kids have been growing up and turning out completely fine for decades.
School is just not that important. It isn't. None of this stuff matters one tenth as much as people think.
What happened in and around 2013 that may have caused this change?
Implementation of the Common Core Curriculum! It was (and is) the worst drivel that I have ever seen. Teach to the test became what the school day was about. Forget history, Science, Music/Art....it was ALL about getting the correct answers on standardized test in ELA and Math. No more reading books...only excerpts. No more learning basic math skills (yes, it's rote learning, but VERY necessary). ll a kid needs in order
Many schools don’t have enough money and sometimes spend it on quick fixes instead of long-term improvements. The old curricula and teaching methods are outdated and don’t keep up with the modern world. And teachers are super stressed out.
On top of that, there’s a lot of teacher turnover, so we’re losing experienced educators who know how to teach. And the policies we have don’t seem to be working. It’s like trying to fix a leaky roof with a bucket.
At home, many families are struggling financially. When parents have multiple jobs or have financial problems, it’s hard to create a stable learning environment. And kids don’t get as much help with homework or guidance as they should.
Plus, kids who don’t get a good start in early childhood education struggle to catch up later. This hits their academic performance for years to come.
And let’s not forget about all these distractions in the digital world. Smartphones, social media, and endless online content make it hard for students to focus on their studies. Short attention spans and the urge to get instant gratification can really mess with their learning.
And let’s be honest, cultural changes also play a role. When entertainment and quick information take over, the old-school emphasis on hard work and study can lose its appeal.
I follow your articles and am amazed how the eduction 'reformers' continue to believe that mere tinkering around the edges will somehow make a noticeable difference in education outcomes... I am a former HS Social Studies teacher who was a member of the CO Legislature for 14 years and was the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Education Committee... I worked for DFER (Democrats for Education Reform) during the Obama years and when DFER was dismantled and our staff was trimmed I assumed it was because the 'reformers' assumed victory was at hand and that they had achieved their goals...??? REALLY???? to anyone who has ever taught in the classroom and aware of the changes afoot with social media that was a ridiculous notion...contact me when a serious effort at reform begins anew: rontupa@mac.com
Thank you for the analysis and insights (I'd only just skimmed the headlines on this before). I'm afraid that this is going to feed into the narrative around abolishing the DoE. What are your thoughts on that? How can we fight against it?