For the past dozen years, since the attack on public schools went into high gear, the same lie has been trotted out again and again to defame public schools. The slanderers say that 2/3 of American students are reading “below grade level.”
At Congressional hearings on the education budget on Tuesday April 18, the same ridiculous claim was made by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. He said that only 33% are reading at proficiency. He said this is “appalling and not acceptable for the United States. 33% of our students are reading on Grade level.” (At about 45:00).
This is nonsense. Its’s frankly appalling to hear Secretary Cardona repeating the lie spread by rightwing public school haters. He really should be briefed by officials from the National Assessment Governing Board before he testifies again.
On the NAEP (National Assessment of Educationsl Progress) tests, “proficient” does not represent grade level. Proficient is a high bar. Although the federal testing agency does not equate its achievement levels to letter grades, I would estimate (based on my seven years of experience as a member of the NAEP Governing Board) that “proficient” is about the same as an A or an A-. Do we really expect that every student merits an A? I don’t think so.
The website of the National Center on Education Statistics states clearly:
Achievement Levels
NAEP student achievement levels are performance standards that describe what students should know and be able to do. Results are reported as percentages of students performing at or above three NAEP achievement levels (NAEP Basic, NAEP Proficient, and NAEP Advanced). Students performing at or above the NAEP Proficient level on NAEP assessments demonstrate solid academic performance and competency over challenging subject matter. It should be noted that the NAEP Proficient achievement level does not represent grade level proficiency as determined by other assessment standards (e.g., state or district assessments).
Could it be any plainer? Students who score at or above NAEP Proficent “demonstrate solid academic performance and competency over challenging subject matter.” Furthermore, the NAEP Proficient level “does not represent grade level proficiency.”
Would someone please tell Secretary Cardona? When he repeats the lies of the rightwing propagandists, he maligns every teacher and student in the nation.
Someone should also inform Secretary Cardona that the NAEP achievement levels are set by panels of educators and non-educators; as such, they are subjective judgments. They have been used on a trial basis for 30 years without getting definitive clearance by testing experts commissioned by Congress to review their validity. “The latest evaluation of the NAEP achievement levels was conducted by a committee convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in 2016. The evaluation concluded that further evidence should be gathered to determine whether the NAEP achievement levels are reasonable, valid, and informative. Accordingly, the NCES commissioner determined that the trial status of the NAEP achievement levels should be maintained at this time.”
Please, Secretary Cardona, stop saying that “only 33% of American students can read proficiently” and that “only 33% are reading at grade level.”
It’s not true.
When asked about vouchers, Secretary Cardona said he opposes them because they take money away from public schools. That’s true, but far from the whole truth. 75-80% of vouchers subsidize students who already attend private schools. They are a transfer from the public to the affluent. Kids who leave public schools to use vouchers lose academic ground, and most return to their public school within two-three years in need of help catching up. Vouchers fund religious schools that may discriminate against students, families, and staff who do not share their religion or who are gay or who have disabilities. They choose the students they want.
Furthermore, religious schools indoctrinate. Some religious schools teach fake science and history. Religious schools force taxpayers to pay for religious views they do not share.
There are many reasons to oppose vouchers but Secretary Cardona seems unaware of them. I recommend that he invite veteran voucher researcher Joshua Cowen of Michigan State University to brief him on why vouchers for religious and private schools are a pernicious and ineffective policy.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
So only the Lake Wobegon public schools aren’t “failing”. You know, where all the children are above average. /s
This statement by Cardona made me want to tear out my hair and rend my garments, especially as it directly points to the NAEP scoring bands showing proficiency as a high level of achievement. I didn’t expect much from him, but Cardona is proficient at mediocrity.
We need someone like Jamaal Bowman in such an important position.
Reading expectations have increased over the decades and many students suffer as a result. They are not allowed to progress based on their own maturity and readiness. Many districts don’t even use normed, and validated standardized tests for assessment. Instead, they use tests constructed by profit driven and market driven companies. I told my college students recently the same thing: the constant public cries of student failure in reading just isn’t correct. My only issue here is that this has been ongoing and not a lie presented by one political party versus another party.
“Many districts don’t even use normed, and validated standardized tests for assessment.”
There are no valid standardized tests to begin with. See Noel Wilson’s “A Little Less Than Valid”:
To the extent that these categorisations are accurate or valid at an individual level, these decisions may be both ethically acceptable to the decision makers, and rationally and emotionally acceptable to the test takers and their advocates. They accept the judgments of their society regarding their mental or emotional capabilities. But to the extent that such categorisations are invalid, they must be deemed unacceptable to all concerned.
Further, to the extent that this invalidity is hidden or denied, they are all involved in a culture of symbolic violence. This is violence related to the meaning of the categorisation event where, firstly, the real source of violation, the state or educational institution that controls the meanings of the categorisations, are disguised, and the authority appears to come from another source, in this case from professional opinion backed by scientific research. If you do not believe this, then consider that no matter how high the status of an educator, his voice is unheard unless he belongs to the relevant institution.
And finally a symbolically violent event is one in which what is manifestly unjust is asserted to be fair and just. In the case of testing, where massive errors and thus miscategorisations are suppressed, scores and categorisations are given with no hint of their large invalidity components. It is significant that in the chapter on Rights and responsibilities of test users, considerable attention is given to the responsibility of the test taker not to cheat. Fair enough. But where is the balancing responsibility of the test user not to cheat, not to pretend that a test event has accuracy vastly exceeding technical or social reality? Indeed where is the indication to the test taker of any inaccuracy at all, except possibly arithmetic additions?
A Little Less than Valid: An Essay Review
http://edrev.asu.edu/index.php/ER/article/view/1372/43
Long ago, standardized test were rigorously reviewed by statistical educational researchers item by item, answer choice by answer choice for deviations. Though not perfect, they did a pretty good job of identifying cultural bias. They were not meant to be the end all decision making factor for success in reading. Some examples MAT and CAT. The tests I see today are made by novices.
And that long ago golden age of supposedly sanctified standardized tests still had all the invalidities shown to us by N. Wilson. They were garbage then and they’re garbage now because the fundamental logical premises for standardized testing is a bunch of. . . . Yep, horse manure.
“And finally a symbolically violent event is one in which what is manifestly unjust is asserted to be fair and just.”
Thank you, Duane, ever so much for this definition!
That is Noel Wilson’s thoughts. The whole standards and testing malpractice machine is one not only symbolically violent but actually harmful to ALL students now matter where they fall in the grading scale. Top or bottom that regime is destructive of what a true, ethical and just teaching and learning process should be. Is it just or ethical to use the students to forcibly glean certain information from them even when the law demands it? NO, it isn’t.
“”Should we therefore forgo our self-interest? Of course not. But it [self-interest] must be subordinate to justice, not the other way around. . . . To take advantage of a child’s naivete. . . in order to extract from them something [test scores, personal information] that is contrary to their interests, or intentions, without their knowledge [or consent of parents] or through coercion [state mandated testing], is always and everywhere unjust even if in some places and under certain circumstances it is not illegal. . . . Justice is superior to and more valuable than well-being or efficiency; it cannot be sacrificed to them, not even for the happiness of the greatest number [quoting Rawls]. To what could justice legitimately be sacrificed, since without justice there would be no legitimacy or illegitimacy? And in the name of what, since without justice even humanity, happiness and love could have no absolute value?. . . Without justice, values would be nothing more than (self) interests or motives; they would cease to be values or would become values without worth.”—Comte-Sponville [my additions]
All standardized tests correlate to students’ socio-economic status have inherent cultural bias. Teacher tests tied to curriculum are far more useful and informative. Why are we wasting valuable public dollars to tell us what we already know? We need need more money for teaching, not testing.
Why?
I think what Thoreau had to say is pertinent to answering your query:
“The mass of men [and women] serves the state [education powers that be] thus, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies. They are the standing army, and the militia, jailors, constables, posse comitatus, [administrators and teachers], etc. In most cases there is no free exercise whatever of the judgment or of the moral sense; but they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and stones; and wooden men can perhaps be manufactured that will serve the purpose as well. Such command no more respect than men of straw or a lump of dirt.”- Henry David Thoreau [1817-1862], American author and philosopher
Seems to me the problem is not that kids can’t read, but that they don’t want to. More pernicious is the skills and drills way of teaching reading that takes the fun out of it. Also, the idea of books at a certain grade-level is flawed. My kids had Reading Renaissance and many of the “grade-level” designations were just plain wrong. My kids always got into trouble for reading books above or below their designated grade level….
Or skip the briefing and instead get the ridiculous Davis Guggenheim & Lesley Chilcott to fund and film a Reverse Waiting For Superman.
Omit Geoffrey Canada and substitute Joshua Cowen as Narrator.
Vivid images of the transfer of funding from Public Schools to the affluent, the bigots, the book burners, the authoritarian religious. Let everyone see exactly what is being destroyed and what is being bankrolled with taxpayer cash.
Amen
One thing I learned in my 37 years is that what happens in the school house is a mystery to the general public and policy makers. Any story that focuses on what is wrong with no regard for what is right in public schools does a disservice to student opportunity. I’m not talking about the “heroic deeds” of practitioners, but the day to day successes that keep students engaged and developing. Yes, there are many practices that need to change, particularly with regard to those students who are struggling. However, viable solutions are within reach were we able to convince the American public to understand the value of such a commitment. Instead of complaining about the vociferous ranging of a small minority of students, we need to recruit the majority of families who see the schools as good for their children to speed the word that public schools are good, and often wonderful, places.
Truth to power. How do we find those among the powerful who will listen?
Apparently, Cardona can’t read at grade level either. Failure to interpret such a direct description of “Proficient” suggests a reading deficit on his part.
Yes!
He’s graded on a curve. Curves any way you want it to.
In other news:
Fox. Liars lying.
The secretary of education is exaggerating because we need every child to perform at the “A” level in order to compete with the Soviets, since they launched Sputnik and all.
LCT– LOL! I was just musing on Sputnik today while learning more about the Standards Movement [1st big govt push in pubschooling since back then). Thanks to Sputnik, I got daily French instruction in 4th grade in my little rural school [unheard of then]. That lit a fire under me—majored in Romance Lit, taught French & Spanish, still pursue speaking & reading those langs in retirement. Would that the Standards Movement had done anything so authentically educational.
Me too, Bethree! In my urban little school, our principal (the first female principal in Boston – this was ~1962 !) was a first generation Italian immigrant who was fluent in several languages. She came to our class and taught French a couple of days a week.
As a result, I’ve enjoyed life in multiple languages, my three kids are all at least bilingual, and one is a diplomat with French, Spanish, Catalan and Portuguese at near native fluency.
The big difference with education policy after Sputnik was that the whole country was anti-soviet. Today about a third of the country is anti-education.
Thank You for posting this. I’m wondering when was the last time Mr. Cardona was in a public school classroom for more than an hour. Biden’s appointee leaves a great deal to be desired, especially after he fought so vehemently with the union in Connecticut. If Biden would’ve went with Randi Weingarten, teachers would likely hear words of support and have additional funding to meet student’s needs. We need leadership that supports public schools, and not a political appointee who looks to confront and espouse nonsense.
An hour? Maybe five minutes.
“If Biden would’ve went with Randi Weingarten. . . ,” we’d have the same crap as with Cardonna.
You mean the one who lied to our faces at the NPE conference about not taking any monies from B. Gates?
He doesn’t need to be in a classroom. He needs to learn the laws, policies, and practices of the Department he leads. Many people do not understand NAEP achievement levels, which have been controversial for three decades. People who work at the U.S. Department of Education understand what they are and what the scores mean and don’t mean. Cardona is clueless. He should get people to brief him so he doesn’t say stupid things again.
So proud to receive a response from you, Ms. Ravitch. Really though? He’s that clueless about the ambiguity of NAEP levels, that he needs people to brief him on such? That’s all the more reason, at the very least, he oughta consider visiting classrooms and actually spending more time there, instead of sitting and listening to political drivel.
Visiting classrooms is a fine thing to do but he won’t learn anything about NAEP achievement levels by doing so.
Cardona is not ignorant or misinformed. He is COMPLICIT. He is in someone else’s deep pockets. This is deeply disgusting because post-flood East Kentucky families are still in camping mode. But guess where Cardona was only a few months back.
Secretary Cardona and Geoffrey Canada travelled to Schools in Hazard, Kentucky. To Discuss Promise Neighborhoods and Project Prevent Grant Programs.
Their Let’s Voucher Up The Appalachians Tour was EVENT busy.
Event Date 1 : January 19, 2023 – 9:45am
Event Date 2 : January 19, 2023 – 10:45am
Event Date 3 : January 19, 2023 – 1:00pm
Event Date 4 : January 19, 2023 – 1:45pm
On Thursday, Jan. 19th U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona journeyed to Hazard, Kentucky with President of Harlem Children’s Zone and Founder of William Julius Wilson Institute.
Geoffrey Canada discussed recent Department of Education grants that focus on efforts to support communities in addressing community violence and advancing birth-to-career support in high-needs communities.
We can only hope that the devastated parents/voters/victims knew BS when they smelled it and heard it. Cow pasture plutocratic propaganda.
https://www.ed.gov/news/media-advisories/secretary-cardona-and-geoffrey-canada-travel-schools-hazard-kentucky-discuss-promise-neighborhoods-and-project-prevent-grant-programs
Geoffrey Canada does not believe in the value of public schools. He was paid $500,000 a year to run the HCZ. He had two billionaires on his board.
HCZ???
Hillary Clinton Zone???
Harlem Children’s Zone.
Thanks!
The NAEP like the state tests is not a norm referenced test. The designation of “proficiency,” a wholly subjective determination, is higher than the 50th percentile on a norm referenced test. Sec. Cardona sadly is mistaken, and he should know better.
NAEP, like all other of these “standardized tests” is invalid and nothing more than a bunch of mental masturbation.
Cardona is actually quite brazen. Here is how the Department of Privatization advertised Cardona and Geoffrey Canada on a barn-storming tour of flood devastated East KY just 3 months back. Talk about Shock Doctrine Hedge Fund Takeover.
https://www.ed.gov/news/media-advisories/secretary-cardona-and-geoffrey-canada-travel-schools-hazard-kentucky-discuss-promise-neighborhoods-and-project-prevent-grant-programs
Sec. Cardona could do us all a favor and actually to look at sample test items before judging test scores.
Better yet, he should have a conversation with an average 9-year child before reading the grade 4, sample items.
https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/nqt/searchquestions
Further proof that NAEP tests and their Common Core cousins (supposedly aligned NAEP framework and CC standards) simply DO NOT test for developmentally appropriate, basic reading comprehension skills.
Here is a typically subjective, NAEP test item that probably would confuse Stephen Corrin:
The following paragraph is from the story:
“The poor old thing dragged his weary bones along for many hours, looking for bits of hay or patches of grass. He grew thinner and thinner and felt very, very miserable.”
What is the author mainly showing in this paragraph?
A. How thin the horse has become.
B. How much the horse is suffering.
C. How many hours the horse has traveled.
D. How little there is for the horse to eat.
Crappy Standards beget Crappy Tests
GRDE 4 Reading Passage
Page 1 The Bell of Atri retold by Stephen Corrin
The city Atri, tucked away in the Abruzzi mountains in Italy, was famous for two things–a bell and a horse. When the bell was first hung up in the marketplace in a lofty tower, the people were called together and the King made a speech in which he said: ‘My friends, I have placed this bell right in the center of the marketplace of our city of Atri. It is within the reach of everyone, great or small, child, man or woman. But I must impress upon you that you may ring it only if you feel some wrong has been done to you. The rope is a very long one, so that even the very smallest child can pull it. I hope it will not have to be used very often. ‘The honest citizens of Atri listened respectfully and attentively. They were good folk and they knew that the need to use the bell would not arise very frequently. Nevertheless, there it hung as a reminder to them all that they should be kind and just toward one another. In the first year it was rung only once, in the second year four times and during the next ten years only six times. This shows how well behaved the people of Atri were. However, one day as the Mayor of the city was passing he noticed that the strands of the rope were fraying.
Page 1 The Bell of Atri retold by Stephen Corrin
The city Atri, tucked away in the Abruzzi mountains in Italy, was famous for two things–a bell and a horse.
When the bell was first hung up in the marketplace in a lofty tower, the people were called together and the King made a speech in which he said:
‘My friends, I have placed this bell right in the center of the marketplace of our city of Atri. It is within the reach of everyone, great or small, child, man or woman. But I must impress upon you that you may ring it only if you feel some wrong has been done to you. The rope is a very long one, so that even the very smallest child can pull it. I hope it will not have to be used very often.’
The honest citizens of Atri listened respectfully and attentively. They were good folk and they knew that the need to use the bell would not arise very frequently.
Nevertheless, there it hung as a reminder to them all that they should be kind and just toward one another. In the first year it was rung only once, in the second year four times and during the next ten years only six times. This shows how well behaved the people of Atri were.
However, one day as the Mayor of the city was passing he noticed that the strands of the rope were fraying.
Page 2
‘My goodness,’ he told his secretary, ‘the rope is wearing out. It must be due to the sun and the rain for, as you know, it has not been used very much. We shall have to get a new one.’
‘And how are we going to do that?’ asked his secretary. ‘There is certainly no rope long enough in this town. The King had it specially woven in a village in Latium on the other side of the mountains. The only thing to do is to send over there for one to be made immediately.’
‘And what if somebody commits a wrong in the meantime?’ asked the Mayor.
‘Well now,’ replied his secretary. ‘I have a more than usually long grapevine in my garden. We can fasten it to the bell. It should be sufficient for the time being, until the new rope is ready. And certainly quite tough enough, I’m positive.’
The Mayor thought it was a good idea and so the bell was attached to the grapevine.
Now a couple of miles outside Atri there lived a very rich old man. In his younger days he had been a soldier in many wars and had owned many horses. Gradually he had sold them all except one, which had been with him in many a fierce battle, and which he kept as a kind of souvenir of his adventurous youth. But a day came when the old man looked at this horse and said: ‘You are no good to me anymore, old fellow. You’re too old to work and I am not going to feed you anymore. Out you go.’ So off limped the old horse and his cruel master bolted the gate behind him.
The poor old thing dragged his weary bones along for many hours, looking for bits of hay or patches of grass. He grew thinner and thinner and felt very, very miserable.
Page 2
‘My goodness,’ he told his secretary, ‘the rope is wearing out. It must be due to the sun and the rain for, as you know, it has not been used very much. We shall have to get a new one.’
‘And how are we going to do that?’ asked his secretary. ‘There is certainly no rope long enough in this town. The King had it specially woven in a village in Latium on the other side of the mountains. The only thing to do is to send over there for one to be made immediately.’
‘And what if somebody commits a wrong in the meantime?’ asked the Mayor.
‘Well now,’ replied his secretary. ‘I have a more than usually long grapevine in my garden. We can fasten it to the bell. It should be sufficient for the time being, until the new rope is ready. And certainly quite tough enough, I’m positive.’
The Mayor thought it was a good idea and so the bell was attached to the grapevine.
Now a couple of miles outside Atri there lived a very rich old man. In his younger days he had been a soldier in many wars and had owned many horses. Gradually he had sold them all except one, which had been with him in many a fierce battle, and which he kept as a kind of souvenir of his adventurous youth. But a day came when the old man looked at this horse and said: ‘You are no good to me anymore, old fellow. You’re too old to work and I am not going to feed you anymore. Out you go.’ So off limped the old horse and his cruel master bolted the gate behind him.
The poor old thing dragged his weary bones along for many hours, looking for bits of hay or patches of grass. He grew thinner and thinner and felt very, very miserable.
Page 3
One day he hobbled into the town of Atri and came to the marketplace, where his hungry eyes espied the grapevine to which the great bell was tied.
He smacked his poor parched lips in eager anticipation of something good to eat at last. He trotted up and began to munch the green leaves. Then he tugged at it to get at the leaves growing higher up the vine.
‘Ding-dong, ding-dong,’ pealed the great bell and people came hurrying out of their houses to see what was happening. You can imagine their amazement when they saw a poor old horse tugging at the grapevine.
‘I recognize that horse,’ said the Mayor’s secretary (who seemed to know pretty well everything). ‘He belongs to that rich old soldier who lives outside the city.’
Page 4
‘He must have got rid of the poor creature because it was too old to work,’ said the Mayor. ‘Summon him at once.’
The old soldier was brought before the Mayor and, rather shamefacedly, he admitted he had done his faithful horse a great wrong.
‘Indeed you have,’ said the Mayor. ‘This good horse which served you so long and well in your adventurous youth you have now most ungratefully cast aside. This city orders you to take him back and give him a comfortable stall and to feed him properly for the rest of his days.’
The crowd cheered to see justice done to man and beast alike and the old soldier, his head hanging down in shame, led his horse back home.
GRADE 4 Poem
Birdfoot’s Grampa told by Joseph Bruchac
The old man
must have stopped our car
two dozen times to climb out
and gather into his hands
the small toads blinded
by our lights and leaping,
live drops of rain.
The rain was falling,
a mist about his white hair
and I kept saying
you can’t save them all,
accept it, get back in
we’ve got places to go.
But, leathery hands full
of wet brown life,
knee deep in the summer
roadside grass,
he just smiled and said
they have places to go to too.
The NAEP knows that “proficient” is misunderstood by the public to mean “basic” and that “basic” is misunderstood to mean barely literate. But, when the Secretary of Education for the United States understands “proficient” to mean “basic,” it may be time to accept that the meaning of “proficient” is evolving downward and no longer means expert.
The NAEP has a responsibility to correct public and professional misperception by labeling for clarity. It serves no positive purpose for the public and the Secretary of Education to falsely believe that two thirds American students (and adults) are functionally illiterate. It undermines public confidence in education and collaborates with slandering the hard work of public schools and public school teachers in America. Why not substitute clearer language like “expert” for “proficient” or “on grade level” for “basic”?
A good first step would be if Secretary Cardona took a crash course to understand what he is talking about.
I have always wished that every politician and pundit would take the NAEP 8th grade math test and publish their scores.
All I know…when my eighth grade students were given a PSAT (and I had to research that one because I thought that was for 10th grade students) there were very few students who could grasp what it asked. I previewed the test and it was not easy. I asked the counselor if some students could take the test in another room because I knew within a few minutes, they would be wiggling and talking because it was far too difficult. And, as the teacher, it was hard for me as well. This meant, I had to really read it to understand what it wanted me to do. But as typical, the school denied my request, but they kids were pretty could with my gentle reminders, “Remember, just because you don’t want to work on the test it doesn’t mean you should be disrespectful for those who do.” That went on for three hours. It was painful. Most of my kids read at or below 4th grade level, but were asked to answer higher-level thinking questions when all they wanted to do was watch the big tractor outside tear down the building (yes our school was being torn down to build the new one next door). As always, I had to remind the kids that if they were not good readers, they would probably not do well on this test because that’s all it tested. I played a YouTube video that explained the tests they take never see how well they know the arts, music, automotive, sewing, culinary, or martial arts. So, never think that just because you cannot pass this test, it isn’t your life. Geez, those poor kids. The look on their faces as they tried to read. Wow, nice job education! This made most of my kids feel stupid and losers. When I taught a Teen Forum course, I remember explaining that nearly all multiple choice answers could be justified, but one never gets to explain THEIR REASONING for selecting A, B, C, or D. Many of the answers I gave in courses I took garnered the reply, “Wow! There is always one who can see things completely different but be absolutely right.” Many of the kids who struggle just settle in for defeat. Sad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsLBQgehO8
Reblogged this on Crazy Normal – the Classroom Exposé and commented:
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, I want you to stop spreading the ignorant lie that the majority of American children cannot read at grade level.
Simply put:
BASIC means reading at grade level.
BELOW BASIC means reading below grade level.
PROFICIENT means reading above grade level.
It is a lie that the majority of Americans grow up reading below grade level.
How do I know that and why don’t you?
“Between 700-900 million books are sold in the US per year.”
“An annual study found that the total number of magazine readers in the U.S. remained above 220 million in every year between 2016 and 2020, having previously hovered around the 210 and 215 million mark.”
“While 91% of all adults read magazines, those aged 35 and younger are more likely to read magazines (93-94%). In addition, 73% of adults agreed that reading a magazine or book in print format is more enjoyable than reading on a device.”
“Thirty-seven percent of fourth-grade students performed below the NAEP Basic level in 2022, which was 4 percentage points higher compared to 2019 and not significantly different from 1992.”
Can you subtract, Secretary Cardona?
100 – 37 = 63% are reading at or above grade level.
Secretary Cardona, do you know how many children live in poverty in the US?
If you don’t, you should!
You should also know that the leading factor that causes children to read below basic (below grade level in every country in the world) is poverty, not the quality of our public schools and public school teachers.
Great post, thank you Diane!
Valerie Strauss, do you read here? I’d love to see this post in The Answer Sheet.
I guess many detractors think NAEP reading score is some kind of “reading on the barometer.” It’s not the same. Wake up.