Commentary

A SPECIAL THANKSGIVING COMMENTARY ON U.S. ACHIEVEMENT
by Dave De Schryver
Senior Policy Analyst, The Center for Education Reform

        Thanksgiving is a time to recall why we say grace, but I opened the Washington Post Tuesday and read about an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report that caused my heart to sink. I am thankful that school choice is on the rise, and I believe it will continue to emerge; but school reform also means improving the quality of public instruction.

        The OECD report confirmed that 1998 was a year when it became clear that the US has a severe standards and curriculum problem. The longer our kids stay in public school the further behind they fall. We fail our children and their possible futures unless we improve the quality of their education — all else is academic.

        Consider some of this year’s evidence:

        In February 1998, the Third International Mathematics and Science Study

        (TIMSS) showed us that American 12th graders rank 19th out of 21 industrialized nations in mathematics achievement and 16th out of 21countries in science.

        In April, Pascal D. Forgione, Jr., Ph.D., the U.S. Commissioner of Education Statistics at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) wrote: "Data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) suggests that the relative international standing of U.S. students declines as they progress through school. In both subject areas, our students perform above the international average in grade 4, close to the international average in grade 8, and considerably below it in grade 12." The longer our kids stay in school the further they fall behind.

        In July, international studies and the rigor of our public schools’ curriculum compelled the National Science Board to write the following: "No nation can afford to tolerate what prevails in American schooling: generally low expectations and low performance in mathematics and science, with only pockets of excellence at a world-class level of achievement. Formal education has traditionally been the path to productive careers, upward mobility, and the joy of lifelong learning. If we do not arm our children with appropriate tools, we fail them."

        In July, The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation reported the bleak condition of state standards. By January 1998, 38 States had drafted academic standards in core subjects (English, math, science, and social studies) and 34 States used standards-based assessments of math and English. But scholars engaged by the Fordham Foundation found that only 1 state had truly rigorous and clear standards in English, 1 in history, 3 in geography, 3 in math, and 6 in science. Unfortunately, most states didn’t fare as well: Twelve out of 28 states with English standards failed, 19 out of 38 states with history standards failed, 18 of 39 in Geography failed, 16 of 48 in math failed, and 9 out of 36 states with science standards failed

        In November 1998, in its annual study of international education statistics, the OECD discovered that 22 countries outpaced the United States in 1996 high school or equivalent graduation rates for 18-year-olds. The report also found that U.S. eighth-graders continue to lag behind their counterparts in many industrialized countries in math. Between fourth and eighth grades, math test scores for American students get progressively lower compared with other countries.

        In the Tuesday OECD article, the Washington Post observes that "Economic troubles have motivated young people in many countries to seek higher education so they can compete in the work force." Does that imply students and/or public schools are apathetic, lethargic, in a slumber of intellectual fatigue? I am unsure, but all indicators suggest we have a real content and teaching problem.

        We damn well better get very serious and soon, and stop failing our kids.

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Dave De Schryver is Senior Policy Analyst for The Center for Education Reform, an independent, non-profit group providing support to individuals seeking school reform. For more information, please call (202) 822-9000 or (800) 521-2118, or send e-mail to cer@edreform.com.

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